Of course, a few things come into play, especially your choice of cannabis strain to pair with the show you want to watch high. But when you find the perfect pairing of show and marijuana strain, the conclusion is inevitable – a good trip.

Why You Should Watch Shows While Stoned

Watching a movie or show after partaking in the Devil’s lettuce might seem like a bad idea, especially for those who haven’t tried this seemingly unusual pairing. However, experts have discovered that marijuana is a psycho-acoustic enhancer.

This simply means that when you are under the influence, your ability to absorb, consume, and process various types of media, including movies and shows, changes. After smoking weed, your perception of time and focus are altered.

Marijuana affects the parietal area of the human brain. This section of the brain is responsible for various functions, including those related to problem-solving, information processing, creativity, and imagination.

In short, marijuana can enhance your enjoyment of movies, shows, and even music.

Top Shows to Watch High

On the lookout for a new show to watch high? You can watch a few shows, ranging from popular adult animation series to modern sci-fi and dark comedy classics.

1. Trailer Park Boys

Created by Mike Clattenburg, Trailer Park Boys is a mockumentary series based on the 1999 movie of the same title. This series went on air in 2001 and chronicled the adventures of the fictitious Sunnyvale Trailer Park residents in Nova Scotia, Canada. The series ended in 2008.

Trailer Park Boys centers around the get-rich-quick schemes of trailer park residents Julian, Ricky, and Bubbles. One unique quirk of this series is the production team’s involvement in the show’s plots.

2. Family Guy

At this point, who doesn’t know about Family Guy. The brainchild of Seth MacFarlane, this animated series revolves around the Griffin family – Peter, the head of the family, Lois, his wife, Brian the dog, their three kids; and the quirky residents of Quahog, Rhode Island.

Family Guy began airing in 1998 and is one of the longest-running animated sitcoms. The show is famous for its hand-drawn animation style, commentary, and satire on politics and pop culture.

3. Big Mouth

Created by Nick Kroll, Mark Levin, Andrew Goldberg, and Jennifer Flackett, Big Mouth is an animated series that has earned acclaim for its unique animation style, humour, voice acting, and hilarious yet honest take on themes centring around puberty and sex.

The series chronicles the daily life of teens based in New York, drawing inspiration from the real-life experiences of creators Kroll and Goldberg. The show started airing on Netflix in 2017, and its seventh season is currently in development.

4. Black Mirror

Since the initial episode of Black Mirror, the series’ followers have been craving for more. And it’s no wonder why. The British anthology series takes its cues and expands on what The Twilight Zone has built, focusing on technology and its relationship with contemporary issues.

The show’s creator, Charlie Brooker, takes the bulk of the writing duties in collaboration with Annabel Jones, executive producer.

Black Mirror began airing on a British network in 2011, running for two seasons before being picked up by the streaming giant Netflix in 2016. After moving to Netflix, Black Mirror has released three seasons, two webisodes, and the interactive movie Bandersnatch.

5. The Great British Bake Off

Aside from reinvigorating interest in baking in the United Kingdom and Ireland, The Great British Bake Off has triggered countless cases of munchies. Also known as GBBO or simply Bake Off, this TV series began airing in 2010.

The long-running show has gone through a few personnel changes. Currently, Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas have taken the task of hosting the show while Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith judge the works of the show’s contestants.

The premise of the Great British Bake Off is pretty simple – find the most well-rounded baker from a group of amateur bakers by going through different challenges.

6. Adventure Time

Adventure Time is an American animation series which follows the adventures of best friends Finn and Jake in the Land of Ooo. The show was created by Pendleton Ward and was based on an animated short film with the same title. Adventure Time was initially aired on Frederator until Cartoon Network picked it up in 2010. Adventure Time officially concluded in 2018, lasting 10 seasons with 283 episodes.

7. Stranger Things

Stranger Things is regarded as one of Netflix’s most successful franchises, winning viewers’ hearts and garnering critical acclaim. Created by The Duffer Brothers, this sci-fi/horror series follows the adventures of a band of kids in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. The series deals with supernatural, conspiracy theories, and secret human experiments by the government.

Stranger Things was initially released on the streaming site in 2016, gaining a cult following for its eighties pop cultural references and infusion of visual elements and callbacks from revered directors and writers like Stephen King, Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, and HP Lovecraft.

8. Bob’s Burgers

Although Bob’s Burgers started slow with a lukewarm audience reception, it has become one of the best-animated sitcom series in recent years. Created by Loren Bouchard, the animated series follows the lives of husband and wife Bob and Linda Belcher and their kids Louise, Gene, and Tina as they run their restaurant.

The series was first aired in 2011 on Fox. For its premiere episode, it got 9.39 viewers, making it one of the most-watched premieres. Although reviews were mixed, the series picked up its pace and has gained a special place in pop culture. To date, it has won several awards and accolades, including an Emmy Award and being named one of the 60 Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time by TV guide.

9. Ugly Americans

In an alternate universe, humans co-exist in a world populated with demonic and non-demonic creatures. The animated black comedy series Ugly American explores that bizarre reality using a unique visual style reminiscent of fifties comic book style drawing.

Ugly Americans premiered on Comedy Central in 2010. The series expands on the web series created by Devin Clark, with writer David Stern taking the reins for series development.

The series revolves around Mark Lilly, a human resident of Manhattan and social worker at the Social Services Division of the Department of Integration, which facilitates the integration of non-human residents. Other noteworthy characters include Mark’s zombie roommate Randall Skeffington, his succubus girlfriend, Callie Maggotbone, and wizard co-worker Leonard Powers.

10. Ultimate Beastmaster

Six countries, 12 contestants, The Beast. The Ultimate Beastmaster pits its contestants against the obstacle course known as the Beast. The reality series was initially released on Netflix in 2017. But unlike similar shows, Ultimate Beastmaster features a variety of contestants as well as commentators from different countries.

The Beast is comprised of four levels. The competitors with the highest scores move to the next level, while those with the lowest scores fall out. Ultimately, one contestant is left and earns the title of Ultimate Beastmaster.

Other noteworthy shows to watch?

Finished viewing these shows? Here are other shows to watch while you’re baked.

• Rick & Morty
• The Mandalorian
• Somebody Feed Phil
• Cosmos
• Schitt’s Creek

The Best Marijuana Strains for Movie Night

Looking for a cannabis strain to smoke for your next Netflix and chill sesh? Generally, it would help if you avoided Sativa-dominant strains. While these strains can energize you, you might not be able to concentrate on the show you are trying to watch because of euphoria.

That doesn’t mean that you should reach for an Indica-dominant strain. Although getting couch-locked while watching a show may sound sensible, you might only sleep.

For best results, opt for a hybrid cannabis strain that will relax you while providing your mind with enough stimulation to enjoy a show. Here are a few cannabis strains you might want to smoke while binge-watching.

• White Widow

The White Widow is a perennial favourite in the stoner culture circles because of its effects, including creativity and euphoria. This daytime is perfect if you and your friends want giggles and a good time. Although its flavour is an acquired taste, you don’t have to worry about paranoia and anxiety if you get your dosage right.

• Belladonna

This Sativa-dominant may still need to be familiar in some stoner culture circles because it is a relatively new strain. But if you are lucky to find and pick it up from your local dispensary, you’ll be in for a great treat. Belladona is perfect for watching movies and shows and even playing video games. Common side effects you can expect are feelings of calm and focus.

• Sour Tsunami

Sour Tsunami is renowned for helping manage pain and inflammation without feeling groggy. This hybrid strain is perfect for watching shows because it provides a body high and a slight mind high.

• Blue Diesel

A cross between the NYC Diesel and Blueberry cannabis strains, Blue Diesel is perfect for people who want to watch while high. This hybrid strain provides a body high while helping manage symptoms like pain and tension. Suppose you want to relax while watching your favourite shows or flicks from your chosen streaming services. In that case, this is the perfect strain to get from your local cannabis dispensary.

• Laughing Buddha

If comedies are your main thing, the Laughing Buddha will not disappoint. As its name implies, this Sativa strain will leave your stomach aching from all the laughter you get. But aside from that, this cannabis strain is quite delectable, known for its sweet and fruity notes with spicy undertones.

• OG LA Affie

Euphoria, creativity, and a robust body high are just some of the effects you can expect from the OG LA Affie strain. Although this strain can relax you, it doesn’t make you sleepy, making it a perfect companion for people who want to watch stoned. Plus, its effects last a considerable amount of time, which is ideal if you are planning to binge-watch.

• Chemdawg

The Chemdawg is a hybrid strain that can make even the most boring movie or show watchable. This strain is not for newbies because of its high potency. Start with a lower dosage if you wish to use this while watching your favourite show or movie.

• Black Diamond

The Black Diamond is an Indica strain that first gained popularity among medical cannabis users because of its ability to help manage pain, insomnia, and mood disorders. But it has become one of the popular strains for recreational users who want to watch stoned. But be forewarned, this marijuana strain can give you a serious case of the munchies.

• Alice In Wonderland

Looking to try a new strain to pair with your next binge-watching sesh? Consider the Alice in Wonderland strain. This Sativa strain can leave you giggling and more energetic. Just don’t smoke it before bedtime.

• Wookie

Like the Chemdawg, the Wookie is another potent cannabis strain. But if you get the dosage right, you’ll feel calm and relaxed with fear of side effects like paranoia. It pairs perfectly well with more cerebral shows and movies because it allows you to retain your focus.

Satisfy Your Munchies with These Snacks

A viewing experience would only be complete with snacks. That’s true whether you are planning to watch stoned or not.

In selecting which types of food to prepare, rely on something other than the time of the day. Want dessert for breakfast or something savoury and filling? Go for what you crave. Most cannabis smokers prefer something crunchy to satisfy their munchies.

If you want to get the most out of snacks, a little planning can go a long way. One basic concept you should take to heart is pairing food. Specifically, you want to eat dishes that have contrasting flavours.

Here are some dishes to try to satisfy your cravings.

1. Fried cheese curds

Fried cheese curds are fairly popular in the American Midwest. These bite-sized treats are perfect if you are craving for something savoury.

2. Pizza French Toast

Got some leftover pizza? You can either reheat it or breathe some new life into it by French toasting it. It takes less than 10 minutes to make, and all you need are eggs, leftover pizza, and a few spices.

3. Rainbow Cereal Treats

Got some time on your hands? Try this quick and easy recipe concocted by Action Bronson. This dessert combines beloved treats, including cereal, Oreo cookies, and mini marshmallows.

4. Trail Mix Trifle

Trail mix is the perfect snack when you’re out for a hike. But with this delectable dish, you’ll look forward to watching your favourite stoned show. This recipe is a little more complicated than the previous dishes, combining choco mousse, trifle, and cake.

5. Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream

Two perennial favourite snacks combined into one tasty treat. You might need to prep this dish overnight but everything will be worth it. This recipe comprises three delish parts – a toast base, chocolate and peanut butter fudge, and ice cream.

6. Giant Cookie Bowl

Try this dish if your cravings for sweets know no bounds. Essentially, you’ll be turning cookie dough into a giant bowl. But the decadence does not end there. Once your massive cookie dough bowl is ready, you can fill it with practically anything you want, from whipped cream to chocolates and yes, even more cookies.

7. Turkish Pide

Nicknamed Turkish pizza, pide is a dish that originates from Turkey. This savoury snack is characterized by its oval shape and chewy dough. Toppings can vary from one establishment to another. But one thing remains essential – Turkish cheese.

8. Spicy Pork Bibimbap

This dish originates from Korea, which is beloved as a cheap comfort food. Essentially, it consists of rice and your choice of toppings. In this case, the toppings are spicy pork, fried egg, and fermented veggies.

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But is it possible for the average cultivator to create their own autoflowering seeds? The short answer is yes, you can create your own autoflowering strains. Outlined below are some of the steps that you need to undertake to fulfil such a goal.

What Are Autoflowering Plants?

But before delving deep into the process of creating your own autoflower seeds, it is worthwhile to understand exactly what an autoflowering plant exactly is.

Autoflowering plants are cannabis cultivars that begin to produce buds automatically without regard to how many hours of sunlight and darkness they get. They will readily produce flowers once their physiologies are ready for such a task.

Autoflowering seeds are ideal for practically any cannabis cultivator because they go through all the growth stages of cannabis plants at a rapid pace. If you are a hobbyist, that means that you can avoid some of the common hassles associated with cultivating regular cannabis seeds and feminized seeds. For commercial growers, autoflower plants provide more yield which translates to more sales and profits.

Regular vs. Feminized vs. Autoflowering Strains

How do autoflowering plants differ from feminized and photoperiod strains?

Regular photoperiod strains

With regular cannabis seeds, you can expect half of them to turn out to be female and the other half male. As such, they are fairly popular among hobbyists who want to dabble in breeding new strains.

Regular photoperiod seeds are produced naturally without human intervention. Most of the regular cannabis strains trace their origins to landrace strains.

Regular seeds are known to produce healthy cuttings that can be made into clones. Plus, these cannabis seeds offer a diverse range of strains, from well-loved classics to newly-developed cultivars.

However, planting regular seeds can be a bit of a gamble because you’re unsure if your seeds will grow into female or male plants. Sexing plants can also be difficult for hobbyists with little to no experience. And unless you intend to breed, you need to cull the males to prevent accidental pollination of your female cannabis plants.

Feminized strains

With feminized cannabis plants, you do not have to worry if your seeds will turn into males. That’s because these marijuana seeds have a 99.9% chance of emerging as females.

Unlike regular seeds, feminized seeds have been modified by breeders to ensure that most of these seeds emerge as female plants.

These seeds are ideal for hobbyists who cultivate marijuana for the sole purpose of harvesting buds. And because you are assured that most, if not all of your seeds will turn into females, you can make efficient use of your resources.

However, these seeds aren’t for everyone. For one, you cannot use mature plants for breeding. If you are planning to clone feminized plants, be aware that they make poor mother plants. And finally, some feminized plants can turn into hermies, either because of poor genetics or bad growing conditions.

Autoflowering plant

Autoflowering plants are perfect for growers who want a faster seed-to-harvest time and cultivators who have limited space in their grow rooms. Because of their small size, they are also ideal who put a premium on stealth farming. You can grow these plants in small containers and conceal them among other common garden plants.

Autoflowering plants do not depend on the light cycle to produce flowers. And compared to regular and feminized cannabis plants, autoflowers produce buds much more quicker. Finally, these cannabis strains are quite harder, making them a good choice for someone starting out with cannabis cultivation.

However, autoflowering cannabis plants produce fewer buds. Furthermore, the THC content of these plants is considerably lower. Finally, an autoflowering cannabis plant makes a poor mother plant for cloning.

Where Did the Autoflowering Cannabis Plant Come From?

While autoflowering strains have become popular among growers of varying skill levels, that hasn’t always been the case. The origins of these cannabis cultivars have been shrouded in mystery, rumors, and unfounded claims.

But many cannabis breeders and geneticists agree upon is that these marijuana strains are the result of crossbreeding cannabis with its sister plant known as the ruderalis. Cannabis ruderalis originates from Russia and in the colder regions of Europe. The name ruderalis translates to weed found growing by the road. Many geneticists believe that the ruderalis was crossed with a Sativa strain to create the first autoflowering strain.

The ruderalis is a peculiar cannabis species for a few reasons. For starters, it is quite hardy, able to survive cold temperatures where other cannabis strains may not. The adaptations of the ruderalis have allowed it to take advantage of long summers in its place of origin. And unlike Sativas and Indicas which depend on hours of light and darkness, the ruderalis produces buds based on its physiology.

There have been previous attempts to cross the ruderalis with other Cannabis species. However, these initial attempts were abandoned because the resulting offspring had little THC content.

Things started turning around with the introduction of The Joint Doctor’s Lowryder strain which was developed using a ruderalis strain known as Mexican Rudy. The Joint Doctor worked tirelessly until he created an autoflowering cannabis plant that served as the foundation of most of the seeds that you can find today.

Why Should You Create Your Own Autoflowering Seeds?

With different autoflowering strains available in the market, why should you even bother creating your own autoflower seeds?

Creating your own autoflower plants is by no means an easy feat, especially if you have limited experience in breeding and cloning autoflowering cannabis. However, there are a few reasons why you should strongly consider trying.

For one, you can save an enormous amount of money by making your own autoflower cannabis seeds. With the money you save, you can invest in a few pieces of equipment for your grow space. On average, you can get hundreds of seeds from successful breeding. That number can skyrocket to thousands with proper technique and growing conditions.

But apart from the savings you can potentially get, creating your own seeds is an astounding accomplishment that you can truly be proud of.

Making Your Own Autoflowering Seeds

Before going through all the steps that you need to undertake to create your own autoflowering cannabis seeds, there are a few things that you need to know.

First, you will need female and male plants. Without the males, you cannot pollinate the females. The male pollen is necessary for the fertilization process which results in cannabis seeds. For pollination, you can allow Nature to do its work and allow the males to fertilize the females. Alternatively, you can take a more hands-on approach and manually pollinate your female plants.

Another important concept that you need to know before creating your autoflowering seeds is that you cannot just cross two strains and expect to meet your goals. When you are trying to create an autoflowering strain, you may need more time compared to breeding regular cannabis seeds. It may take a few generations before you find success because the autoflower gene is recessive. In genetics, a recessive trait means both parents must give the same recessive gene to their offspring.

The basics of autoflowering cannabis plants breeding

In breeding cannabis plants, you are specific traits to achieve your desired outcome. In this case, your goal is to create your own autoflowering seeds.

But it is not as easy as it may seem. You cannot just pair two marijuana plants and expect their offspring to become a true autoflower strain. Typically, it takes several generations produced through multiple breedings to create a viable autoflower strain. In most cases, you will need to inbreed and backcross your marijuana offspring to ensure that you get the desired traits.

And as previously mentioned, the autoflowering trait is a recessive trait. That simply means that the father plant and mother plant may not pass the autoflowering trait to their offspring. On average, it takes about three breeding cycles before the autoflower genetic trait appears after crossing a regular cannabis strain with an autoflower strain.

Breeding autoflower and photoperiod plants

To create a new autoflower strain, you will need one established autoflowering marijuana plant and a photoperiod plant. But be forewarned, this method of creating autoflower seeds isn’t as straightforward as using two established autoflower strains. Patience is key as you will need to do multiple breedings.

In crossing an autoflower with a regular cannabis plant, you will end up with a new plant that contains the dominant and recessive traits of the father plant and the mother plant. It is highly likely that the resulting offspring isn’t an autoflowering marijuana plant.

For the second generation, you will need to choose the best male and female plants with all the traits that you want the offspring to have. At this stage, you will get marijuana plants with different genetic components. According to experts, only 25% of your new plants will be truly autoflowering, with the rest being either photoperiod or hybrids.

For the third generation, you should be able to get fully autoflowering plants if you use the second-generation plants with the autoflowering traits.

However, be aware that things won’t always go as planned. More often than not, it may take five to eight breedings to get stable autoflowering marijuana plants.

Of course, you will also need to factor in traits like potency, hardiness, and great yield into the equation.

Crossing 2 autoflower strains

The more straightforward approach to creating your own autoflower seeds is to cross two established autoflowering strains. This allows you to get a new generation of marijuana plants that have the traits that you desire coupled with stability. This also means that you do not need to go through multiple breedings.

For this type of breeding, all you need to do is to fertilize one autoflower plant with the pollen from the male autoflowering plant. Once the seeds mature, you will get a stable autoflowering seed because you used parents that already contain the recessive trait of autoflowering.

A True Labor of Love

Producing your own autoflowering cannabis seeds is no small feat, considering all the things that you need to do to reach the finish line. But with patience, you will be rewarded with the joy of evolving as a cannabis cultivator. That’s simply the natural progression for marijuana growers who wish to expand their skill set.

The road may be filled with several stumbling blocks. But if you keep at it, you’ll accomplish something that many growers strive for.

If you are not yet confident with your breeding skills, you may want to try other things like cloning autoflowering cannabis or simply buying autoflowering seeds.

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For many growers, fat and dense buds are their reward after weeks and weeks of hard work, time, and even hard-earned money. But how exactly can you get your cannabis plants to grow dense buds?

Maybe you’ve tried your hand at cannabis cultivation, only to be rewarded with unappealing and airy buds. In this blog post, you will learn how you can also harvest denser buds.

What Causes Airy Buds?

Airy buds aren’t necessarily bad. In fact, some marijuana strains are genetically predisposed to produce airy buds. Indica strains, in particular, tend to have buds that are denser compared to Sativas which develop longer flowers. Hybrids, on the other hand, are influenced by which strain is more dominant.

But aside from genetics, there are a few factors that lead to lackluster cannabis buds.

1. Genetics

Genetics dictates a marijuana strain’s taste, scent, cannabinoid content, and even bud density. Generally, Indicas grow denser buds while Sativas have airy and loose buds. However, it is worth mentioning that Indicas can also produce airy buds.

If your goal is to harvest dense buds, you need to find a strain that is known to produce fat flowers. Growing dense buds requires a strong genetic foundation.

1. Lighting

Another factor that can lead to loose buds is lighting. When you are cultivating cannabis plants, one of the first things that you need to learn and master is finding the optimal distance between your lights and your crops.

This means finding a good distance that ensures that your marijuana plants get sufficient lighting without risking light and heat burn.

1. Temperature

Temperature can also influence bud density. Generally, marijuana plants thrive in a temperature range between 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the flowering stage.

If the temperature goes higher than that, your cannabis plants can succumb to various problems, including light and loose buds. However, you still need to consider the strain of the marijuana you are planning to cultivate. Generally, Indicas grow better in cooler temperatures while Sativas prefer warmer temperatures.

1. Nutrition

Loose and fluffy buds can come as a result of poor nutrition. Specifically, when you deprive your plants of essential nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen during the flowering stage, you cannot expect them to grow denser buds.

1. Ventilation

Poor ventilation can also lead to less than stellar buds. Like most plants, cannabis needs plenty of ventilation. Proper ventilation allows the different branches of your crops to get sufficient air. Now, if your plants are crowded, you may end up with light and loose buds.

1. Small containers

Growing marijuana plants in small containers can hamper their root development. In turn, this prevents your crops from getting sufficient air and nutrients from the substrate.

1. Overwatering

Too much water in the soil dislodges oxygen. When this happens, your crops cannot get enough oxygen. In turn, this drastically affects your plants’ development and can potentially lead to airy buds.

1. Harvesting too early

One key mistake that could lead to poor bud development is harvesting before the right time. It is easy to understand why some growers are tempted to harvest as soon as they see their plants grow flowers. However, if you want fat and thick buds, you need to find the best time to harvest them.

How to Grow Dense Buds

Marijuana is quite forgiving, able to tolerate a few mistakes here and there. But if dense buds are your primary goal, you can’t leave anything to chance. Here are a few helpful tips for growers who want to grow dense buds.

1. Use dense bud strains

One of the keys to success in growing dense buds is finding a cannabis cultivar that produces dense and thick buds. You just cannot coax a cannabis plant to develop fat buds if it is genetically predisposed to grow fluffy buds.

When it comes to cannabis plants, genetics matters in a lot of things – from taste and potency down to bud density. If you want to harvest dense buds, consider cultivating a Sativa strain or a Sativa-dominant hybrid.

How to Look for a Specific Strain

Now that you know the importance of genetics in developing dense buds, the next order of business is finding more about a specific strain. Here are a few ways you can get to know a marijuana cultivar.

Draft a shortlist

Maybe you’ve seen a fellow cultivator and his harvest of thick and fat buds. Or perhaps somebody told you of a strain that is known to produce dense buds. Either way, create a shortlist of strains that you can research.

Conduct online research

One of the best things about researching certain things is that you have immediate access to the Internet. From Google to YouTube. growers can find various types of information about practically anything, including cannabis strains with the densest buds.

Take the effects into account

Don’t lose yourself in your quest for the densest buds. Sure, bigger buds are pleasing to the eyes. But at the end of the day, the effects of a certain strain matter just as much, or perhaps even more, than bud density.

1. Master cannabis lighting

Finding the optimal lighting condition for your cannabis plants is no rocket science. However, there are a few concepts that you need to learn and master. Most strains prefer bright lights. But how bright should your lights be?

One reason why some growers get fluffy buds is that they are using grow lights that are underpowered. And while some of these lights can make your plants grow healthy, they cannot provide sufficient lighting to entice your crops to grow denser buds.

Aside from the power output of your grow lights, another important thing to consider is the distance between them and your marijuana plants. The optimal distance will depend on the type of lighting you use.

If you are using LED grow lights, you should place them as close as possible to your plants without risking light burn. It is also a good idea to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations if you are unsure if you have found the right distance between your grow light and plants.

The same concept applies to CFL, fluorescent, and T5 grow lights – keep them close to your plants while watching out for signs of light burn. With HIDs, you will need to factor in the specific type of light you use.

But what if you are growing your crops outdoors? As a rule of thumb, outdoor cannabis plants need as much as eight hours of direct sunlight. To achieve that, you might want to move your plants to different locations at various times. On the other hand, if you think that your crops are getting too much sunlight, you can use a screen.

1. Maintain the right temperature

Temperature influences a host of factors, including the potency and density of the buds. In general, cannabis plants prefer a temperature range between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Most Sativas like higher temperatures while Indicas fare better in cooler temperatures.

As a rule of thumb, you should avoid increasing the temperature in your grow room beyond the upper limit of that temperature range. Otherwise, there is a considerable risk that you burn your plants and encourage the growth of fluffy buds. High temperatures in the grow room have also been associated with issues like low potency and fox-tailing.

Like high temperatures, cold temperatures can be just as bad for bud density. When it is too cold for your crops, the buds cannot fully develop and may become too fluffy.

One clear sign that it’s too cold in your grow room is the appearance of purple leaves. Purple leaves mean less energy for your plants because green leaves are more efficient in making energy from light.

1. Feed your plants right

Although cannabis nutrition is critical for all of the marijuana growth stages, it is even more important during the flowering stage. Simply put, you’ll get bigger and denser buds if you know how to feed your crops.

But it isn’t just about feeding your plants the nutrients they need. You also need to know the proper nutrient ratio. Knowing these two things will prevent nutrient deficits and nutrient burn.

Your plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium during all the growth stages. However, the ratios will vary at each stage.

During the flowering stage, your plants will need a small amount of nitrogen. Be aware that giving your marijuana plants too much nitrogen can adversely affect the density of the buds. Once your crops enter the flowering stage, avoid giving them an all-purpose fertilizer which usually contains more nitrogen than your plants need.

Too much nitrogen can make your plants leggy. Even worse, an unnecessary amount of this nutrient can shift the focus of your plants away from bud production toward leaf and branch development.

As you decrease your plants’ intake of nitrogen, you should increase their supply of phosphorus and potassium. Many growers increase the amount of potassium by as much as two times the nitrogen they give their marijuana.

It’s also a good idea to read carefully the label of the fertilizers you want to provide your flowering cannabis. Be aware that all-purpose, grow, or vegetative fertilizers are bad for your plants. Instead, choose bloom fertilizers which are formulated especially for flowering cannabis plants.

If you prefer a more organic approach to cannabis nutrition, you should strongly consider using composted soil. Be sure to amend your soil strategically to ensure that your marijuana plants get the right nutrients at the right time.

Marijuana doesn’t require too many nutrients to thrive, especially near harvest time. When you feed your plants right until harvest time, you only end up wasting your money.

Although opinions on when to stop feeding marijuana plants will vary from one grower to another, most cultivators agree that you should minimize feeding around three weeks before harvest. Two weeks before harvest, you should stop giving your plants bloom nutrients.

1. Consider using supplements

Supplements can increase both bud density and overall yield. But before you purchase one for your crops, be sure that you nail cannabis nutrition right. Otherwise, you can end up wasting your hard-earned money. Simply put, supplements cannot compensate for poor nutrition.

Supplements that promise to boost the density of the buds contain a variety of ingredients, ranging from trace minerals to amino acids. But what these products have in common is that they contain a sugar source, potassium, and phosphorus.

Although these products contain a small amount of potassium and phosphorus, they are formulated with ingredients that enable plants to use nutrients more efficiently.

If you want a cheaper alternative to bloom supplements, you can try using molasses which is a known sugar source. Typically, cultivators add molasses to water during the latter phase of the flowering stage.

Aside from providing your plants with sugar, molasses also contains trace minerals that can increase bud size and density. Additionally, many growers report improvements in bud scent and taste.

1. Choose the right pot size

The size of your plants’ containers has a direct correlation to their size upon maturity. In turn, how big (or small) your plants’ size will affect bud size and density. A small container can inhibit the growth of your plants as well as their ability to produce big and dense flowers.

Many growers are shifting to the use of a container known as an air pot. This type of container offers a few advantages over conventional pots. For one, these containers facilitate faster plant growth. Second, they allow more air to get to the roots because they are fabricated using fabrics. Finally, these containers prevent your plants from being rootbound.

However, you should be aware that air pots make the substrate dry out faster. This translates to more frequent watering.

1. Expose the bud sites

If you want your cannabis plants to grow bigger buds, you must ensure that the leaves do not obscure the buds, preventing them from getting access to both air and light. When the buds don’t get enough light and air, they can become fluffy and less dense. Each bud should be separated from one another by a few inches.

Marijuana has evolved to grow big colas to gain more access to air and light. In the wild, the plant depends on the air for fertilization. When the buds are not exposed, it can be quite difficult to gain access to pollen. In turn, a plant may shift its energy away from bud production. On the other hand, exposure to air and light encourages the development of fatter buds.

But how exactly do you do that?

If you are a novice cultivator, the easiest and least complicated way to do that is to tuck the leaves. This allows you to expose more bud sites and ensure that your plants get sufficient light and air.

On the other hand, if you are a seasoned grower with a few years of experience, you can try defoliation, a technique that entails the removal of leaves. This technique works best for healthy plants.

1. Keep the relative humidity below 55% before harvesting

Two to three weeks before you plan to harvest your buds, decrease the relative humidity below 55%. Lowering the relative humidity in your grow room can coax your crops to further increase bud production.

Additionally, a lower relative humidity offers a few benefits, including enhancing bud taste and aroma, increased resin production, and boosting potency. According to some experts, a low RH level can also prevent bud rot from wreaking havoc on your plants.

Controlling humidity in an indoor setup is relatively easier compared to an outdoor setup. If you are growing your plants outdoors, how can you lower the relative humidity?

First, you need to start with cannabis seeds that match the environmental conditions in your area. Next, provide your marijuana plants with some cover if you are expecting heavy rains. This is particularly important during the flowering stage when you need to give your buds sufficient protection from wet weather. Finally, ensure that your crops receive ample amounts of air.

1. Know when to harvest

Seeing those dense buds dangling from your plants makes it hard to resist harvesting them. But you can end up doing yourself a massive disservice by harvesting too early.

If you pick off the buds before they are ready, you risk harvesting loose and fluffy buds instead of dense buds. Additionally, if you rush the harvesting process, your buds may lose some of their potency.

But how do you know when your buds are ready to harvest? Here are three basics rules to follow.

1. Half of the trichomes should have a cloudy appearance

Check the trichomes of your plants. When over 50% of their trichomes have a cloudy and milky color, then they are ready to be harvested. At this point, your plants are still producing THC. That can translate to more terpenes and a more cerebral effect.

However, if more than half of the trichomes have turned amber, it means that you are a bit late in harvesting the buds.

1. Make sure that 70% of the pistils are brown

Instead of checking the color of the trichomes, you can check the color of the pistils instead. This is called the pistil method.

In this method, about 70% of the pistils should have turned brown and curled inward before harvesting the buds. If 90% of the pistils have turned brown, you are late in harvesting.

1. Wait until CBG levels have gone down to zero

Cannabigerol or CBG is a cannabinoid usually found in high CBD cultivars. Your plants convert their CBG content into THC and CBD. And as such, it is best to wait until all the CBG has been converted into more desirable cannabinoids.

A few harvesting tips

To help you get the most out of your harvest, consider following these tips.

Schedule your harvest in the morning

If you wish to get big buds that are tasty, schedule your harvest during the morning. Marijuana plants use the nighttime for resin production and the daytime for producing energy.

Invest in a microscope

A microscope is a useful tool for determining whether the trichomes or pistils are ready for harvest. But if you have a DSLR camera, you can use it to check on the trichomes and pistils of your plants.

Do not harvest all the buds

Instead of harvesting all the buds all at once, consider staggering your harvest. This allows you to harvest the buds from the topmost portion of plants when they are ready for picking while allowing the buds from the lower portion to mature further.

1. Learn how to dry and cure buds

Proper drying and curing can help your cannabis buds become denser while providing a few other benefits, including improved taste and scent, drawing out unique flavors, harshness reduction, and increased potency. Additionally, buds that are cured and dried properly are less susceptible to mold and bacteria.

Drying and curing can spell a world of difference. Just try smoking freshly harvested buds and buds that have been properly cured and dried to understand why this final step matters. Simply put, if you want very dense buds with high potency, you need to dry and cure them.

The whole process starts the moment you cut your crops and lasts anywhere between three to seven days. That may seem like a long time but you will be rewarded with dense cannabis buds with great taste and high potency, making it all worth it.

An Overview of Bud Quality

Size and density matter. But these are just a few facets of bud quality. Certainly, you want to grow dense buds that your friends will envy. But apart from bud size and density, there are a few traits that separate premium marijuana buds from low-quality ones.

What separates top-tier weed from bad ones?

Dense buds

Dense buds aren’t just heavier and chunkier, they also look and taste better. Even better, you don’t need much to fill up a joint.

Absence of seeds

Premium weed does not contain seeds. In fact, the presence of seeds means less resin and potency because some of the plant’s energies have been diverted toward seed production.

Vibrancy of color

The color of the buds depends on the individual strain. But if there is one thing that good-quality cannabis buds have in common, that would be their vibrant color. Vibrancy is the result of numerous factors, including quality genes, proper growing technique, and sufficient drying and curing.

Trichome quantity

The more trichomes a bud has, the more its resin content will be. And the more resin a bud possesses, the more cannabinoids and terpenes will be there for you to enjoy.

Bigger Buds Should Be Your Goal

While the genes dictate most of a bud’s quality, there are plenty of things that you can do to grow dense buds. Follow the tips outlined above and soon, you’ll be rewarded with dense buds that you can be truly proud of.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">Tips to Grow Thick Marijuana Buds</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

As a cultivator, especially one who’s just starting out, it can be tempting to provide more than what your crops need, including light. But too much of a good thing can be bad, including light. Too much light, in particular, can lead to a condition known as light burn.

But what exactly is cannabis light burn and how can you avoid it?

Why Do Plants Need Light?

But before delving into the issue of light burn, it is worthwhile to understand how important light is to cannabis.

The plant is classified as an autotroph which essentially means that it is a life form capable of producing its own food by using energy from light sources, like the sun.

This process is called photosynthesis. Practically all plants, including the cannabis plant, produce their food through this process. Photosynthesis starts when a plant absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. Plants do this through the holes in their various parts, including the leaves, stems, and roots.

Under a light source, a plant breaks down water and carbon dioxide to convert these into oxygen and a type of sugar known as glucose. Once CO2 and water have been broken down into sugar and oxygen, a plant’s chloroplasts will break down the sugar further so it can be readily used as fuel. Oxygen, on the other hand, is released back into the air.

Without adequate light, photosynthesis decelerates. Even if a plant has all the necessary ingredients to create energy, the whole process is stymied without enough light. To counter this in an indoor grow space, cannabis cultivators use grow lights, ensuring that their marijuana plants have plenty of light for photosynthesis.

The Cannabis Light Cycle

But aside from aiding in photosynthesis, light is also crucial for cannabis plants for another important reason: proper use and manipulation of light can increase yield and bud quality.

The cannabis plant is classified as a photosensitive plant. Essentially, what that means is that the amount of light exposure it gets produces a specific response. Additionally, the type of wavelength a light source provides during a particular growth stage can affect the marijuana plant.

If you are just beginning to cultivate cannabis, one of the key concepts that you need to learn and master is how to use both light and darkness at specific stages of growth to optimize plant health and increase yield. This is particularly important before and during the start of the flowering stage.

Lighting and the cannabis growth stages

The cannabis growth stage is divided into four parts: germination, seedling, vegetative, and flowering stages. If you are cultivating weed indoors, it is your job to use the appropriate grow light and light intensity.

1. Germination stage

The germination stage starts from the day your cannabis seeds are germinated and typically lasts from around five to 10 days.

During this stage, cannabis seeds are placed indoors and should receive a huge amount of light. On average, they should get 16 hours of light and eight hours of darkness. Although your marijuana seeds do not rely heavily on lighting, it is still important to choose the right light spectrum. Most growers prefer using red-enrich light during this growth stage.

1. Seedling stage

The seedling stage is the time when your cannabis seeds build the foundation for their growth. What you provide your plants during this stage will have a long-term effect on their development.

During the seedling stage, your young cannabis plants require as much as 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness. This light scheme is designed to mimic the hours of light during summer. It is highly recommended to use a LED grow light with a blue light spectrum to facilitate the development of healthy leaves.

1. Vegetative stage

The vegetative stage is the time when you can see rapid growth from your marijuana plants. At this point, your crops will need 18 hours of light and six hours of darkness.

There are some cultivators who prefer to provide their plants with 24-hour lighting. But before you give this light scheme a try, be warned that doing so can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Worse, giving your plants light all day long can adversely affect them once they get to the last phase of the flowering stage.

Just as light is important for cannabis, so is darkness. The hours of darkness allow your plants to move around glucose and other nutrients where they are needed.

1. Flowering stage

The flowering stage is the last and most-awaited growth stage of weed plants. And as such, you need to pay attention to a few important things, including lighting. At this stage, you will need to provide your plants with 12 hours of light and darkness.

What is Cannabis Light Burn?

Cannabis light burn is a condition where the leaves and other parts of the affected plants are burnt due to the close proximity of LED lights. The condition affects mostly indoor cannabis plants that rely heavily on grow lights as their source of light.

Technically, a light burn does not occur because it is getting too much light. A light burn or light stress occurs when a cultivator fails to find the right balance between light, nutrients, water, and carbon dioxide.

Putting your plants close to their grow lights does not necessarily lead to a light burn. The problem arises when you fail to make the necessary adjustments.

Aside from light, nutrients, water, and CO2, another factor that comes into play is excessive heat emitted by grow lights. Heat can literally burn a cannabis plant, especially when its grow light is placed too close to it.

Light burn can occur during the different stages of the cannabis growth cycle.

1. Seedling stage

Seedlings are particularly vulnerable to light burns because of their fragile nature.

Without adequate light, a seedling may find it hard to develop and grow its first set of leaves. However, when it gets too much light, it can die.

This is why it is highly recommended that you use grow lights that don’t emit too much heat.

1. Vegetative stage

Exposure to excessive light and heat can damage your plants’ leaves. Light-burned marijuana plants display yellowing leaves while their veins remain green.

1. Flowering stage

A light burn during the blooming phase can harm not just the leaves but also the buds.

In fact, one of the telltale signs of a light burn during this stage is buds with a white color. When this happens, the buds lose some of their fragrance and potency, rendering your previous efforts useless.

Signs of Light Burn

If you suspect that your crops have been light burned, here are three signs that can confirm your suspicions.

1. Yellowing leaves

One clear sign that your plants are suffering from a light burn is yellowing leaves.

Yellowing leaves are a common symptom of a variety of conditions in cannabis, including nitrogen deficiency. However, light burned leaves are usually found in the topmost part of the affected plant. Furthermore, you will notice that the yellow leaves are quite difficult to remove.

If the discoloration of the leaves are caused by a nitrogen deficiency, the bottom leaves are the first ones to be affected. Additionally, these leaves fall off from the branches on their own or can be removed easily and without much resistance.

1. Growth slowdown

One of the adverse side effects of light burns is that the affected weed plants lag behind in their growth.

As the leaves of the affected plants become discolored and shrivel due to low water content, they find it harder to photosynthesize. Essentially, this means that the weed plants are starved. In turn, this can result in stunted growth. If the light burn occurs during the early growth stages, the affected plants will find it hard to reach their true growth potential compared to the unaffected cannabis plants.

1. Albino flowers

Another sure sign that your crops have been affected by a light burn is bleached or white flowers. To the untrained eye, white cannabis buds are a sight to behold, leaving one wondering which strain produces these flowers.

But the reality is that bleached flowers are the result of a light burn. The buds turn white due to excessive heat.

If you are wondering if you can smoke these bleached buds, the short answer is yes, but with a few caveats. For starters, the affected buds have a scent and taste that considerably pale in comparison with normal marijuana flowers. You can still smoke them but the familiar high and potency are likely gone. The main reason behind that is the degradation of the terpenes due to light stress.

Can seedlings succumb to light burn?

Yes, seedlings can suffer from a light burn, especially if you place LED grow lights too close to them and the light is too intense. Intense light can cause your seedlings to become fragile and have spindly stems when subjected to light stress for a prolonged period.

Light burn vs. heat stress

Anything excessive can damage cannabis plants, including light and heat. But between the two, too much heat is worse for your crops.

Excessive light can lead to light stress and can damage marijuana leaves and buds. But the thing is, if you act promptly, it is possible to turn things around.

But not with heat stress. Too much heat can literally burn your weed plants. When that happens, it can be particularly difficult to turn things around.

With light stress, you can still harvest and smoke the buds that did not suffer from cannabis light burn. All you have to do is follow the tips listed below. Sure, you might lose a few of the white marijuana buds but you can still harvest the unaffected flowers.

How to Fix a Cannabis Light Burn

Can your plants bounce back from a cannabis light burn? That depends on the severity of the light burn. But yes, it may still be possible for your crops to bounce back from cannabis light stress.

Of course, there are a few caveats. For one, your plants have a higher chance of recovering from a light burn if you have detected the issue before things spiral out of control. And second, you act fast to implement the necessary corrective measures. Here are a few things that you can do to fix a marijuana light burn problem.

First, you need to create more distance between your light burned plants and their grow lights. One approach you can use is to move the affected plants and grow lights farther from each other. Alternatively, you can remove a few bulbs from your grow lights to lessen light intensity.

If neither of these two options is impossible to do, your next alternative is to use a low-stress training technique for the plants affected by light burn. The plus side of this solution is that you can increase your yield.

In a nutshell, this training technique requires you to ensure the height uniformity of all the plant branches. Instead of allowing your plants to grow taller, you would want them to grow bushier by bending the stems to the side, usually with the use of an aid.

Finally, it would be helpful to the plants that succumbed to a light burn to have a lower grow room temperature. However, do not lower the temperature drastically. Instead, take things slowly while maintaining a consistent temperature in your grow room. This will give your marijuana plants enough time to adjust.

How to Prevent Light Burn

As with most things, prevention is always preferable to the cure, including marijuana light burn. But how exactly do you prevent light burn? Here are a few helpful things to bear in mind.

Consider the available space in your grow room

Your choice of grow light should depend in part on the available space in your grow room. Specifically, the vertical space inside. There is no point in investing in powerful grow lights if you have little space available. You will only risk your plants suffering from a light burn.

Find the optimal plant-light distance

The closer your plants are to their grow lights, the risk of light burn increases exponentially. This is why it is critical for you to find the optimal distance between your weed plants and their grow lights.

But how do you do that?

First, you need to consider which type of grow light you want to use in your indoor setup.

If you are using a 400-watt HPS or MH grow light, keep the distance between the light and your plant between a foot and a foot and a half. On the other hand, if you are using a 600-watt HPS or MH grow light, keep your plant and light at a slightly wider distance. If you are using 400-watt LED lights, keep your plants and lights about one and a half feet away from each other. For a 600 wat LED light, the optimal distance is slightly wider.

A lux meter is a good investment if you really want to dial in the best distance between your cannabis plants and their grow lights. Do take note that the lumens per square meter will vary depending on the growth stage of your crops. As your weed plants grow older, so should their distance away from their light source.

Adjust your parameters

Stronger lights can facilitate faster growth. However, stronger lights can also increase your plants’ metabolism. And if you aren’t careful, your plants can succumb to light burn.

If you want to experiment with stronger grow lights, adjust your feeding, watering, humidity, and temperature protocols. Additionally, try using supplemental CO2 so your plants won’t be damaged by too much light.

Too Much Light Is Bad

Light stress almost always happens in an indoor grow setup. At the end of the day, light burn isn’t just a matter of giving too much light to your crops. Other important factors come into play. As a grower, you need to find the optimal balance between a few things, especially lighting to prevent light burn on cannabis.

As you gain more experience as a grower, you can learn how to avoid common problems in the hobby, including light stress.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">What Is Light Burn in Cannabis Plants?</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

That shouldn’t stop you from starting your indoor grow space. In this blog post, you will learn how you can grow your own cannabis without spending a ridiculous sum of money.

The Advantages of Growing Cannabis Plant Indoors

Indoor cannabis cultivation came as an offshoot of the need to grow weed away from prying eyes, especially before the legalization of the plant in various parts of the world. But aside from that, having your own grow space inside your home offers a few advantages over growing marijuana plants outdoors.

1. Controlled environment

Different cannabis cultivars have different growth requirements. But generally, these plants require warmth, low humidity, and ample amounts of light. These requirements can be tough to come by if you are growing outdoors, especially if you are planning to grow cannabis seeds that do not match the environmental conditions in your area.

When you grow recreational cannabis indoors, you are assured that you meet your crops’ requirements all-year round. That means that you can plant practically anytime without waiting for the right conditions. That also translates to less time and effort trying to solve various issues that can arise due to external factors.

1. Less stringent regulations

With the legalization of cannabis came specific sets of rules and regulations that are intended to protect cultivators and other stakeholders in the community. Simply put, it is legal to grow your own cannabis in some parts of the world, but you need to follow the pertinent rules.

And although you will need to abide by a few rules when you build your own indoor grow space, you will notice that these rules are more relaxed compared to those that are related to an outdoor setup. In turn, that can mean lower upfront and maintenance costs.

1. Better lighting control

Light is an important requirement that practically all plants, including cannabis, need. And of course, sunlight is probably one of the best sources of light for plants. But that is not necessarily always the case. Maybe you live in a country where daylight hours are shorter. You can end up depriving your crops of much-needed sunlight.

With an indoor grow setup, you can avoid a few hassles associated with an outdoor cannabis garden. This includes lighting. If you grow your plants indoors, you can use artificial lights which you can easily manipulate in terms of duration and intensity. With that, you can provide one of the most important needs of your marijuana plants without depending on the fickle temperament of Mother Nature.

1. Faster harvest time

When you grow cannabis outdoors, it can take about nine months from germination to harvest buds. But with an indoor setup, you can cut the whole timeline drastically. Although seed-to-harvest time will vary depending on the strain of marijuana you choose to cultivate, generally, you can expect to harvest buds in around three months.

One of the chief reasons behind that is you will have better control of the growing environment in an indoor grow room compared to an outdoor setup. As such, it makes it easier for you to plant multiple times in a year. When you grow marijuana outdoors, you can only plant it once a year.

1. More potent buds

When it comes to potency, indoor-grown weed is better than outdoor-grown marijuana. That is because of a couple of reasons. When you grow marijuana indoors, you will be able to control various environmental factors, from air movement and temperature control to lighting duration and intensity.

These translate to marijuana plants with more trichomes and buds that are big and dense.

Pros and Cons of Growing Weed Indoors and Outdoors

While indoor cultivation has a few advantages over an outdoor setup, it does have a few disadvantages that you ought to know before committing fully to an indoor grow setup.

If you are still trying to decide which cultivation setup to choose, there are three main considerations that you need to factor in your decision-making process.

First is climate. Climate will dictate how much sunlight your crops can potentially get as well as how long your growing season will last. Additionally, you need to consider where you live, in a city or outside of one. In an urban environment, it is fairly easy for neighbors to see that you are growing marijuana outdoors. In an indoor space, you’ll have better control of several parameters, from humidity to light.

In terms of cost, you will definitely shell out more money for an indoor grow room, even if you are just using a spare small room in your home. With an outdoor garden, you do not need to spend an arm and leg for lighting and substrate. However, your plants will become vulnerable to a variety of issues ranging from pesky insects to fickle weather.

Indoor setup pros and cons

With an indoor grow setup, you can control practically all the factors involved in cultivation. You can grow your crops without worrying too much about the hassles associated with outdoor cultivation.

Another advantage of indoor cultivation is that you aren’t limited when it comes to choosing which marijuana strain to grow. In fact, there are some cultivars that thrive in an indoor setting.

Finally, an indoor setup allows you to grow plants multiple times in a year. With outdoor cultivation, you might be limited to just one cultivation cycle in a year.

But despite these advantages, you need to be aware of a few downsides. Chief of these is the cost. Your initial investment will depend heavily on the size and complexity of your grow room. But overall, it is costlier to start an indoor setup.

You will also need to work doubly hard to catch pests and diseases. Otherwise, your crops may succumb to any of these, rendering your investment useless. This is especially true because your crops can’t rely on the natural predators of pests.

Outdoor setup pros and cons

Before you dismiss the idea of planting marijuana outdoors, you need to learn about its pros and cons.

The chief advantage of growing your plants outdoors is that you do not need to spend too much, especially in terms of lighting and growing medium. All you need is a small patch of land, and for lighting, you can rely on the sun.

Another plus point of growing marijuana outdoors is that your plants can reach their full potential. That does wonders for its terpene profile.

Finally, when marijuana is grown outdoors, your carbon footprint is considerably smaller. Grown outdoors, marijuana does not need as much energy while the nutrients you provide it can be recycled.

However, there are a few downsides to cultivating weed outdoors. For one, your plants are susceptible to the elements, insects and small animals, and a variety of diseases. When your plants succumb to these, especially during the flowering stages, your efforts can be rendered useless.

Finally, you have to schedule your planting cycle to match the prevailing environmental conditions. This severely limits how many times you can plant marijuana in a year.

Qualities of a Good Grow Room

Whether you have thousands or a few hundred dollars to spare for an indoor setup, there are a few things that you need to do to ensure the optimal growth of your plants and abundant yields.

No light leaks

Sure, your plants will need plenty of light. However, darkness is as important as light. If there are light leaks inside your grow room, some of your plants may find it difficult to transition from one growth stage to another. Worse, some of your plants may turn into hermaphrodites, especially if you are cultivating regular cannabis seeds.

Proper air circulation

Air circulation is another crucial ingredient for successful indoor circulation. It is important for a few reasons.

First, air circulation helps dissipate heat from your patch. Remember, grow lights don’t just provide light. They also generate a huge amount of heat which can damage your crops if left unchecked.

Air circulation is also essential for eliminating the stench of cannabis from your grow room. This is particularly true during the flowering stages when your plants emit the familiar cannabis smell.

Your plants will also need a sizeable amount of carbon dioxide to produce energy. Without sufficient CO2, you might see stunted growth among your crops.

Finally, proper air circulation will help you distribute air evenly inside the room and facilitate consistent temperature.

Reflective walls

Your grow room needs to have reflective walls. A reflective wall allows you to make efficient use of your grow lamps and improve your overall yield. (Alprazolam)

Waterproof flooring

The floor of your indoor setup should be waterproof for two reasons. First, it makes it easier to clean your indoor setup. Remember, you are going to water your plants and it is inevitable for water to splash. Second, you can increase humidity by spraying water around your grow room.

Ample space

How much space does an individual plant need? That depends largely on what strain you intend to cultivate. But on average, you need to provide each plant with about one and a half to two square feet of space. This is usually enough for a plant’s canopy. Remember, your plants need enough space to grow and provide you with as much yield as they possibly can.

Essential Equipment for a Budget Indoor Grow Setup

Whether you are splurging or trying to save money, there are a few pieces of equipment that you need to have for your indoor setup.

Grow lights

Grow lights can in a variety of types, ranging from budget to premium options. It might be tempting to cut corners and opt for cheap lights, but remember, you are going to use this type of equipment for a substantial period of time. As such, you should spend more on lighting rather than upgrading somewhere down the road.

There are three basic types of grow lights you can choose from = compact fluorescent lights, high-pressure sodium lights, and light-emitting diode lights.

Of the three, CFLs have more budget-friendly options. But do bear in mind that your plants won’t be as productive under these lights. Currently, many growers are using LEDs because of their energy efficiency and ability to provide the right light spectrum across different growth stages.

Air management

Ventilation is another critical component of an indoor setup that plays different roles.

For one, your setup’s ventilation system can help control the temperature, especially in dissipating heat emitted by your grow lights. Without proper ventilation, your plants can suffer from heat stress. Additionally, proper air ventilation can help keep marijuana’s trademark scent at bay.

For ventilation, you have a few options to choose from. But if money’s tight, a simple system consisting of an exhaust fan or air extractor fitted with a carbon filter can do an adequate job.

You will also need to buy an intake fan which will funnel in carbon dioxide inside your grow setup. An oscillating fan will help distribute fresh air inside your grow tent while helping control air circulation and humidity.

Grow tent

A grow tent ticks off all the requirements needed for a viable indoor setup. You can either purchase one that matches your current budget or you can browse the Internet and find resources that will help you build one for yourself.

For the recreational marijuana farmer, a DIY setup is more than enough for their needs. But whether you are buying a grow tent or building one, make sure that your tent is airtight, waterproof, and does not have air leaks. A good grow tent should also have a design that allows you to install the necessary equipment like lamps and exhaust fans.

Other equipment

Aside from those mentioned above, you should strongly consider investing in a few pieces of equipment that can make life easier for you and ensure a good yield from your crops. These include:

• Automatic timer switch
• Ballast
• Reflector
• Air extractor
• Thermostat controller
• Hygrometer
• Thermometer
• pH meter

Get Started Now

Don’t let the startup cost of an indoor setup stop you from growing marijuana. With a little ingenuity, patience, and thorough research, you can build an indoor setup without breaking the bank.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">How To Set Up A Low-Cost Indoor Marijuana Patch</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

The short answer is no. You can’t possibly identify the gender of seeds just by looking at them. To identify a female marijuana seed, you need to germinate it and wait for it to mature to the point where you can identify its sexual characteristics.

Why Growers Prefer Female Plants

If you are new to the hobby of cultivating cannabis plants, one of the first things that you will discover is that most growers prefer females. That is not to say that male plants are bad. That is not necessarily the case.

Cultivators prefer female plants because they prize their resinous buds and the products that can be derived from them.

Male plants, on the other hand, do not produce buds. Instead, they develop pollen sacs that are useful for breeding cannabis plants.

If you are a hobbyist keen on producing buds for your own use, it makes perfect sense to grow females.

In fact, male plants can render your crops useless if they fertilize your female plants.

On the other hand, if you have a few years tucked under your belt as a marijuana plant cultivator, it is natural that you want to expand your skills and try breeding. For that, you will need male plants.

Why the Cannabis Plant Has Genders

If you have some gardening experience, you will notice that the cannabis plant is a little peculiar because it has three genders. Other crops are more straightforward and their seeds do not need to be sexed. All you have to do is germinate them and care for them until they are ready for harvest.

With the cannabis plant, things are a bit different. You see, the marijuana plant is what botanists call a dioecious plant. Essentially, this means that the cannabis plant has three genders – male, female, and hermaphrodite.

There are roughly five to six percent of flowering plant species that are dioecious, making the cannabis plant unique in this regard.

To some, this trait may seem bothersome. After all, this can complicate the cultivation process, especially if you are new to growing cannabis seeds from start to finish.

However, there are a few advantages to this trait that you can leverage to your advantage, especially if you are planting regular cannabis seeds.

For one, this allows you to identify which cannabis seeds to fertilize. In turn, this can lead to better crop quality.

For cannabis plant breeders, this trait helps them to breed for specific traits that match their goals.

Identifying the Gender of a Cannabis Plant

If you need to identify a male from a female plant, it is critical to understand the differences between the two types of cannabis plants.

Both male and female plants look identical during the first two phases of their young lives.

However, as a cannabis plant begins to mature, specifically during the flowering phase, you will notice a few distinctions between male and female plants.

The differences between male and female plants

The appearance of female cannabis plants will differ from one another, depending on a few factors.

There are some females that are relatively small and bushy while there are others that tend to grow tall and have a tree-like appearance.

But if there is one factor that distinguishes male plants from female plants, it’s that the latter produces buds.

Unlike females, male plants do not produce flowers. Instead of flowers, they produce pollen sacs which contain pollen.

Although most growers prefer female cannabis plants, male plants are important to breeders who wish to produce new strains.

One key similarity between male and female plants is that their sexual organs can be found in the nodes. Nodes are the parts of the plant where the main stem meets with the branches.

Characteristics of male and female Marijuana plants

Male plants

Males are usually taller than their female counterparts. Furthermore, their stalks are thicker.

Compared to females, males have fewer leaves.

And finally, male cannabis plants produce pollen sacs. Eventually, these sacs bloom into white flowers.

Female cannabis plants

Females grow plenty of leaves and have thinner stalks.

Upon maturity, they produce pistils that are protected by a calyx.

Compared to male plants, females are shorter.

Early signs of male plants

The sexual characteristics of males usually appear during the last weeks of the vegetation stage. You can see these signs at the nodes.

To see these signs, you will need a magnifying glass to look closely at the nodes. Take note that you won’t see pollen sacs or the formation of buds.

Instead, you will begin to see the pre-flowers.

In males, these pre-flowers look like small eggs. These pre-flowers are smooth and have no fine hairs.

However, as the males enter the flowering stage, you will notice that the pollen sacs grow bigger and form dense clusters. At this point, you can see the pollen sacs even without magnification.

It will take around two to three weeks before the pollen sacs release their contents. As such, you should act quickly and discard your male cannabis plants if you do not plan to breed.

Early signs of female cannabis plants

Like males, females develop pre-flowers at the nodes.

However, their pre-flowers have fine hairs which protrude from the calyx. These fine hairs are known as pistils which are the sex organs of females.

The primary function of pistils is to capture pollen both from the air and from the insects that land on them.

Eventually, these pre-flowers grow big and develop resin.

When can you identify the gender of your plants?

As previously mentioned, it isn’t possible to identify the gender of cannabis seeds until they have been germinated and allowed to grow.

But when can you identify the gender of cannabis plants?

The right time to check the gender of a cannabis plant is before it enters the flowering stage. At this time, the plant will begin to develop buds or pollen sacs around the nodes.

Usually, males show their sexual characteristics two weeks earlier than females.

What Are Hermaphrodite Cannabis Plants?

Aside from males and females, there are also hermaphrodite cannabis plants that contain the sexual characteristics of the two genders.

Hermaphrodites can either be true or bananas.

True hermaphrodite cannabis has male and female flowers. This type of hermaphrodite has the ability to fertilize itself and produce seeds. If you plant this type of cannabis seed, it will grow into a hermaphrodite.

Bananas, on the other hand, are so-called because of the appearance of their sexual organs.

Unlike normal males, they do not produce male flowers. Instead, they make bare stamens without sepals. Their stamens have the ability to drop the pollen into the buds to facilitate self-pollination.

Hermaphroditism can arise due to stress or genetics. When subjected to stress, a cannabis plant can transform into a hermaphrodite as a response.

Among the different types of stress that can lead to hermaphroditism are nutrient deficiencies, excessive heat, and diseases.

Essentially, your cannabis plant can turn into a hermaphrodite to ensure that it reproduces before it succumbs to the things that stress it out.

And like males, it is a good idea to discard hermaphrodite cannabis plants from your grow room.

Why You Should Consider Feminized Seeds

Whether you are just dipping your toes into cultivating your own cannabis or if you are a seasoned veteran, there are plenty of reasons why you ought to consider buying feminized seeds.

Planting a regular cannabis seed can be a bit of a gamble because you don’t know if you are getting a male or female cannabis plant. Typically, a packet of regular cannabis seeds will sprout 50 percent males and the remaining are female seeds.

When you buy feminized seeds, you are guaranteed that 99 percent of these grow into females. Of course, it is still possible that some of the seeds develop into males or hermies. But all in all, feminized seeds provide great value, especially if you are not a breeder and you are after producing buds.

Advantages of feminized cannabis seeds

A female plant is not necessarily better than a male plant. But for most hobbyists, female plants offer the best value for your resources. If your goal is to produce buds, you should strongly consider planting feminized seeds.

Efficient use of resources

With feminized seeds, you can devote your time, energy, fertilizers, and other resources toward cultivating females instead of wasting these on males that you will eventually discard.

Plant training

When you know that most, if not all, of your crops are females, you can begin training your plants earlier without worrying that you might be wasting your time with plants that might be males.

No need to determine plant gender

While it is certainly possible for anyone to identify the gender of a cannabis plant, it does take time and effort.

If you are a newbie or someone who wants efficient use of their resources, feminized seeds allow you to skip the gender identification process.

What a Cannabis Seed’s Appearance Can Tell You

If you can’t tell the gender of a cannabis seed just by looking at it, are there any pieces of information that you can get from its appearance?

Can you tell the difference between feminized and autoflowering seeds from their appearance?

No. Cannabis seeds, whether they are regular, feminized, or autoflower can look essentially the same.

Seeds might look similar or different but their appearance will not tell you what type of cannabis seeds they are.

What do cannabis seed stripes mean?

Under close magnification, cannabis seeds look interesting.

There are some seeds that have no visual markings while there are some that contain stripes on their hard outer shells.

But what do these stripes mean?

Essentially, nothing. The stripes can’t tell you whether a seed is male or female, or if it is high-quality. (https://www.echelon.health/)

Conclusion

You can’t identify female seeds just by looking at them, especially if you bought regular seeds. The only way you can identify the gender of a cannabis seed is to wait until it matures and develops its sex organs.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">How to Identify a Female Marijuana Seed</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

Marijuana has endless benefits, and this makes it a highly demanded plant. Therefore, if you are among the ones in need and can’t help but ask, is it legal to buy marijuana seeds in the US and Canada?

You can buy cannabis seeds in Canada without issues as it is legal. However, in the US, this plant is not legalized in all states yet, so depending on your state, it can be legal or illegal.

So, we would like to take you through a detailed guide discussing whether or not buying marijuana seeds is legal in the US and Canada.

Is It Legal to Buy Marijuana Seeds in the US?

If you are based in the United States and want to have your cannabis plants, you will need to get the seeds. This means you have to know whether or not it is legal to buy them.

Image: Creative Loafing Charlotte

As already mentioned above, you can see that not all states in the US have legalized the recreational use of cannabis. Marijuana is still a federally illegal substance in some US states.

Being federally illegal means one cannot buy, sell or use within the state. The federal government can also arrest whoever chooses to break this law.

In the states where cannabis is legal, it is mostly for medicinal use. In these states, adults are also allowed to use the plant.

If you reside in a state where recreational cannabis is legal, you can get it from your local dispensary. However, if you want to buy the seeds for medical purposes, you will need to produce an MMJ card. Only with the card can you be allowed to purchase it.

States in the US where Recreational and Medicinal Cannabis is Legal

• Washington
• Colorado
• Oregon
• Nevada
• Alaska
• Michigan
• Maine
• Vermont
• California
• Massachusetts
• Arizona
• Guam
• Illinois
• New York
• Connecticut
• Rhode Island
• New Jersey
• Virginia
• New Mexico
• Montana

States Where Only Medical Marijuana is Legal

Because marijuana is known to have many health benefits, it is legalized in some states for medicinal use only.

Image: CNN

Some of the states whereby the use of medical marijuana is legal to include the following;

• Georgia- allows access to low THC CBD products
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Indiana- only allows access to low THC products
• Delaware
• Arkansas
• Alabama
• Iowa- medical marijuana program includes access to only low THC products
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• North Carolina
• Missouri
• Minnesota
• New Hampshire
• Puerto Rico
• South Carolina
• Ohio
• South Dakota
• Rhode Island
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Utah
• Texas
• Tennessee

States With Complete Marijuana Prohibition

Within some states in the USA, the use of marijuana is still completely illegal. Whether for medical or recreational purposes, the states still do not allow the use of the seeds.

Some of these states are;

• Mississippi
• Idaho
• Wyoming
• Nebraska

Can I Buy Cannabis Seeds Online in the United States

Numerous seed banks in the US sell cannabis. To get the seeds, you can either buy them locally or online. Though buying the seeds online is easy and less time-consuming, it is more convenient to buy them locally.

If your state has legalized marijuana seeds, purchasing them will not be a problem. You can buy the seeds from local farmers, a dispensary, or a seed company in your state.

If you choose the easy way-online purchase- the way most of us go nowadays, you can still get your seeds. However, if you are to buy them from one state yet you live in another, you could get them confiscated.

How about if both states have legalized weed? It will still pose a challenge. You can buy the seeds in any state; however, bringing them to another state could be a problem.

In the USA, marijuana seeds are still illegal under federal law. So, they cannot cross state lines. This also happens if you buy them from a well-known international weed seed bank. So, if the seeds land in the US, you will be in hot soup.

Is It Legal To Buy Marijuana Seeds in Canada?

We have gone through a few things and seen that you can or cannot buy cannabis seeds in the US, depending on your state. So now, we’ll take you through and see whether it is different or similar in Canada.

You can buy cannabis seeds online or locally in any seed bank. The seeds are legal, and no charges can be placed on anyone buying them in Canada. Both medical and recreational cannabis has been legalized in Canada.

You could be planning to buy the seeds to grow your plants for quick and easy access or a business. Either way, no law will prevent you from doing so.

Canada was the first country to legalize marijuana for medical use. This was in 2001, and it happened after the Canadian Court of Appeal ruled that it was unconstitutional to ban the medical use of marijuana.

Marijuana Medical Access Regulations

The Marijuana Medical Access Regulations is the original act that allowed the use of cannabis for medical purposes. It allowed individuals to buy dried cannabis buds but only if they presented a government-issued license after a doctor’s approval.

Image: Verywell Health

Licenses were also offered for patients to appoint their suppliers or grow their weed. However, the guidelines were later replaced, and many producers enjoyed making more profits as the recreational markets grew.

Compliance Requirements for Medical Marijuana Patients

The current Canadian law allows a patient to carry dried weed buds with a prescription. No license obtained through the government is required in such cases.

Your Canadian doctor can prescribe up to 5g per day, and patients are still allowed to grow their marijuana. The Supreme Court of Canada also expanded medical cannabis to include oils, teas, and brownies.

In Canada, if you obtain medical marijuana from a licensed provider, you are not allowed to share it with anyone. It means that you cannot let another person smoke or consume your cannabis in any way. This includes importing or exporting cannabis seeds or producing derivatives like hashish or resin.

Recreational Cannabis in Canada

Recreational cannabis was fully legalized in Canada in 2018 by the Canadian Senate. So, Canadians above 18 years of age are allowed to use recreational weed.

Image: SPY

They can purchase it from retailers regulated by the local provincial or federal government. The government allows adults to possess up to 30 grams of weed.

For those who prefer growing their own, you can grow up to four plants for personal use. So, buying marijuana seeds in Canada is legal. However, two provinces banned the home growing of the plant. These provinces include Quebec and Manitoba. So, they do not allow any seeds for sale to the public.

In every place, there’s always that one person who wants to try out new things. Suppose you are such a person and would love to make cannabis products at home; too bad. But unfortunately, that is still illegal in Canada.

Buying Cannabis seeds Online In Canada

In Canada, anybody above 18 can freely buy cannabis seeds. However, this can only be for personal or medical use as one cannot have more than four plants.

After the legalization of this plant, only a few varieties of seeds were available. However, since 2020, more varieties have been found online and locally.

All seeds sold legally in Canada are only sold in packs of four. Though the government allows you to possess up to 30 cannabis seeds publicly, they are sold in packs of four. This avoids implying provincial support for those growing more marijuana plants than the limit.

Types of Cannabis Seeds

Marijuana seeds come in three distinct types. these include the following;

1. Regular Marijuana Seeds

Female and male parents produce regular seeds. There is thus a 50/50 chance that the plant will be the feminized kind, which contains all of those great cannabinoids.

Image: Zamnesia

Unfortunately, you may waste a couple of weeks waiting for the gender to be determined because you have no control over the plant’s gender.

2. Feminized Marijuana Seeds

Feminized seeds are certain to produce resinous buds since they are devoid of male chromosomes. In other words, unlike the regular seed, you don’t have to wait to know the sex.

Image: Grow weed easy

3. Auto-flowering Seeds

This seed is your best bet if you want to grow your weed indoors. Auto-flowering cannabis seeds are robust and durable since their genetic makeup evolved in northern Eurasia. In addition, they’re combined with Cannabis Ruderalis, a plant renowned for its resilience to adverse weather.

Image: Grow weed easy

Something amazing is that these seeds can produce a minimum of up to two outdoor crops. However, when grown indoors, auto-flowering seeds can produce up to five crops per year.

With some strains of this seed, you can prepare your plant in just ten weeks. In addition, auto-flowering seeds are highly mold and pest-resistant. They also produce more yield when exposed to a powerful source of light.

What to Consider When Purchasing Cannabis Seeds Online

Before you buy marijuana seeds online, you must gather all the necessary information. Below are a couple of factors to keep in mind.

1. Check Your State Laws

If you are in the US, you must check your state laws to ensure that the seeds are legal. If not, you may not have a choice.

On the other hand, if you are in Canada, you can buy and grow cannabis seeds. This is because the country has already legalized the seeds.

2. Find a Reputable Seed Bank

There are many reputable seed banks online; however, finding one that will deliver what you want can be challenging if you haven’t tried them. So, before you purchase cannabis seeds online, ensure you get a reputable seed bank capable of delivering the best marijuana seeds to grow indoors or outdoors.

3. Quality

Buying cannabis seeds from a reputable online seed bank ensures you get high-quality seeds. In addition, quality seeds will grow well, as they are less likely to be hermaphroditic or prone to genetic diseases.

You can judge the seeds by simply looking at them. Immature seeds are light green, faded, brittle, and small, while old ones are dry and cracked. Healthy cannabis seeds are dark brown and glossy, and free from cracks.

4. Discreet Payment Method

Many online shops provide the option of paying with credit cards. This option is secure, and you can always use it. In addition, when you use your credit card, the company will not receive any of your card information.

If you don’t want to use a credit card, there are other options, and most online stores also accept them. These include bitcoins or even bank transfers.

5. Opt for Medium and Small Orders

Orders can sometimes get confiscated. However, if your order is small, it is unlikely to attract much attention, unlike large ones.

If you need more seeds, you can order several small or medium sizes. You can also order from different suppliers to ensure minimal confiscation risk.

6. Seed Type

Before you select one type of seed, ensure that you are familiar with it and you can take care of it well. You can always learn how to care for a marijuana plant if you have no idea where to start.

Knowing the type of seed will also help you understand how to plant them and how long to wait before the plant is ready.

Frequently Asked Questions on Buying Cannabis seeds

1. Will seeds from a female plant be female?

Feminized seeds produce female plants only. However, when they germinate, they also produce a few male plants if they are produced correctly.

2. Can I legally buy marijuana seeds for sale in the US?

If you are in the US and customs open your shipment, it will likely be confiscated. This is true4 regardless of whether or not you are in a state where weed has been legalized. This is because cannabis is illegal on a federal level.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">Marijuana Seeds: Legal in US & Canada?</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

Whether you’re already tried it an want to grow a whole garden, or you’re keen to give it a go and want to grow it yourself, then we’ve got exactly what you need with our 7 Hacks to Growing Purple Haze Weed.

With a decent flowering time between eight and nine weeks, Purple Haze is one of the easier purple weed strains to grow. It’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor growth, and you can use both soil or hydroponic methods.

So, what are these mysterious 7 Hacks to Growing Purple Haze Weed Seed? To help you grow big, healthy yields, we’ll cover:

• The best nutrients to use
• Which soil you should pick
• The importance of pruning and topping
• How you can enhance the purple colouring
• Whether indoor or outdoor growing is best
• Why lighting matters
• How to get rid of pests

If you’ve already made up your mind and want to get your hands on Purple Haze, buy only the best from our range right here at The Seed Pharm.

We’re sure many of you want to take an even deeper look into this sweet Sativa strain, so keep on reading for the best 7 Hacks to Growing the Perfect Purple Haze Weed Seed.

What is Purple Haze Weed Seed?

Purple Haze is part of the purple weed family, where it presents a unique purple hue. This colouring can range anywhere from much lighter purples, right down to deep indigo shades or “black” strains.

In particular, Purple Haze has a rich-green base at the nug, with fairly light-toned purple shades throughout its trichomes. It also has qu

ite a loose structure, and produces both medium-sized and large-sized flowers.

What gives purple marijuana its colour is the presence of compounds called anthocyanins. You’ll notice these anthocyanins are in fruits and vegetables like blueberries and beetroot, giving them their deliciously purple appearance.

7 Hacks to Growing the Perfect Purple Haze Weed Seed

1.     Less is More

Nutrients are a major part of any plant’s growth, but not all of them require the same amounts. Unlike its counterpart Purple Kush – which loves all the extra food it can get – Purple Haze takes more of a “less is more” approach to nutrients.

You’ll need to feed this strain moderately, especially during the flowering stage. All marijuana plants need nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous in order to flourish. For this strain, we suggest increasing the amount of phosphorous as the yield draws closer to the end. This will help boost the plant’s energy storage, making it ready for harvest.

2.     Choose the Best Soil

While you can certainly use a hydroponics system to grow this strain, soil works just as well. But if you are using soil, it’s important to use the best one. This gives your Purple Haze better odds at growing into a healthy plant with high-quality buds.

Luckily, this variety does well with the most basic of soil combinations – compost, peat moss, and perlite. You can even make your own organic soil, which Leafly has an excellent recipe for.

3.     Pruning & Topping

Pruning is crucial to the growth process, involving cutting off dead leaves and branches. This helps redirect the plant’s focus and encourages it to stop wasting resources on dead plant parts, and instead give them to living ones.

Topping isn’t compulsory, but it’s highly recommended. It involves removing the upper part of the plant from its main stem. This allows light and airflow to reach throughout the entire plant.

4.     Pump Up the Purple

The purple colouring of any marijuana plant is caused by its genetics, not by any other factor. That being said, you can technically enhance the violet hue with one simple trick – temperature control.

Reduce the temperature by up to 15° when night falls to help fast-track the decomposition of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is responsible for the green colouring of marijuana. Once chlorophyll is lowered, anthocyanins begin to appear in its place, initiating a purple hue. We don’t really suggest using this method as it’s really hit or miss, but you can try it to see how it works for you.

5.     Indoor & Outdoor Growth

Lucky for many of you, Purple Haze works well in both indoor and outdoor settings. Even better news for those closer to the north – this strain can be grown in cooler climates as its ideal temperature rests between 18° and 27°C.

Some growers have noticed that it produces larger yields in outdoor gardens, but it can work just as well indoors with the right love and attention.

6.     Lighting Matters

If you are growing Purple Haze inside, then you’ll definitely need some high-quality lighting. This encourages better growth and potency. For best results, you should stick to LEC, CMH, HPS and Metal Halide lightings systems. (Not all at once of course – choose between one of those options.)

If you do happen to use LED lights, keep them at least 45cm away from the plants for 2-5 watt bulbs. Anything with a higher wattage should be kept almost double that length away from your plants.

7.     Know How to Reduce the Risk of Disease

Pests don’t play around, and you shouldn’t either when it comes to preventing disease. Some of the most common pests include spider mites, beetles, gnats and aphids. Once these critters get into your Purple Haze, it can lead to all kinds of disease, thus killing your plants if left untreated.

Prevent infestations by:

• Sealing your indoor grow room
• Changing clothes before entering the grow room
• Making sure pets don’t enter the grow room
• Thoroughly disinfecting your equipment regularly

Benefits of Purple Haze Weed

• Offers an energizing and creative boost.
• Helps reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.
• Potent fruity and sweet aroma, with earthy undertones.
• Eight to nine week flowering time.
• Easy to grow – perfect for beginners.
• Maximum growth height between 75cm – 200cm.

Where Can I Find Purple Haze?

Excited to get started on your own Purple Haze-filled garden? Seed quality is crucial when it comes to purple weed – as with any weed, for that matter. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to supply only the best quality marijuana seeds on the market. And we’re proud to bring you the most potent, healthy and strong purple weed varieties out there. Get started on your growing journey today by browsing our Purple Haze Feminized seeds.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">7 Hacks to Growing Purple Haze Weed Seed</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

Are you one of the 66% of Americans with a houseplant? After smoking, you may have turned to your cactus or pothos and wondered: is bong water good for plants?

Well, we’re glad you asked! It’s time to learn all about using your bong water for plants.

Is Bong Water Good for Plants?

If you water plants with bong water, it can actually be beneficial for some plants. However, it’s important to research your plant’s needs before pouring your bong water into the pot.

The basic needs of plants include sunlight, soil, and water. They can also benefit from absorbing nutrients like calcium, carbon dioxide, potassium, phosphorous, and oxygen.

Bongwater contains water, but not many beneficial nutrients, so it’s not very good for plants. You should never use old bong water for plants. Water that’s been sitting out for a long time can harbour a lot of bacteria and germs.

Bongwater is also very acidic due to dissolved smoke and plant matter. Some plants, like holly and azaleas, prefer acidic soil conditions. These plants might tolerate bong water well, but using bong water in plants still exposes them to bacteria and fungi.

You may have also heard that smoking around your plants or exhaling onto them is good for them. While it’s true that smoke contains carbon dioxide, breathing around your plants is better than smoking around them. Smoke particles can clog the pores of your plants, affecting their absorption of carbon dioxide and sunlight.

What’s in Bong Water?

The purpose of bong water is to filter the smoke produced when burning marijuana flowers. The water collects a lot of harmful materials that you wouldn’t necessarily want to enter your lungs. This makes your smoking experience feel smoother than other methods.

However, bong water is more than just dirty water. It also contains some of the following elements:

• Cannabinoids, CBD, THC
• Ash
• Resin
• Plant matter
• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Microorganisms

Considering the list above, you should change your bong water often. Contrary to what some people believe, you won’t get any higher from reusing old bong water. You also cannot extract any useable amount of THC from bong water.

It’s best to use fresh water every time you use your bong. The water filters out impurities like those mentioned above to give you a smoother, fresher smoking experience.

When your bong water becomes cloudy or develops a film over the top, known as biofilm, it’s definitely time for a change. Dirty water can harbour pathogens like Strep, E. Coli, mould, and mildew. Inhaling these can lead to serious illness.

Does Bong Water Help Plants Grow?

Some people claim that their bong water works as a low-grade fertilizer and makes their plants grow faster. This may be true for plants that like acidic conditions. Unless a plant is severely dehydrated, most plants will not benefit from bong water.  

Some people may wonder if plants can feel high like people. Plants do not have brains or cannabinoid receptors. Being high is defined as a feeling of euphoria or an altered state of consciousness.

As far as we know, plants do not experience consciousness. Because they do not have a central nervous center and are not self-aware, it is safe to assume that plants cannot feel high.

The “highest” a plant can feel is just being healthy. The perfect amount of sunlight, water, and other nutrients from the soil will make a plant very healthy. Still, it is unlikely that the plant can “feel” its well-being.

Bongwater may be better than no water if your plant is desperate. Still, it’s not good to regularly dump bong water into your plant.

Is Bong Water Good for Marijuana Plants?

You may think that bong water is good for watering marijuana plants because it has more matter than the plants can use. In general, the acidity of bong water and the risk of mould, mildew, bacteria, and fungus outweigh any potential benefits.

Marijuana plants prefer to be watered with “soft” water, like rainwater. Soft water contains fewer minerals like calcium and magnesium. Reverse osmosis, filtered or distilled water is ideal for marijuana plants.

Will Bong Water Kill Plants?

Pouring bong water on plants is generally not helpful, and it may kill your plants. Most plants don’t like the acidity of bong water. You can lower the acidity of soil by adding calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous.

Additionally, the bacteria and fungi can easily become a problem for your plant, causing infections. Plants with a bacterial infection may form spots or crispy, brown edges on their leaves. Fungi usually lead to spots, root rot, and black stems.

A small amount of bong water won’t kill your plants. A small amount could be good for them if they like acidic soil. Still, it’s best not to pour bong water in plants.

If you’ve already poured your bog water into the plant’s pot, don’t panic. Follow up the bong water with lots of fresh water and make sure the roots have proper drainage to prevent fungi and mould growth.

Bong Water: Bad for Plants, Good for People?

Does drinking bong water get you high? As you burn the marijuana and pull it through the water, traces of CBD, THC, and plant matter are left behind. However, drinking old bong water is not a good idea.

Bongwater can contain bacteria, especially if it has been sitting on the counter for a long time. No matter how desperate you are, drinking bong water will probably just make you sick. Not to mention, it smells and tastes nasty.

But will bong water get you high? In short, no. Even a gallon of bong water won’t give you a buzz. 

The trace amounts of CBD and THC are not concentrated enough to make you feel high. The small amount present in bong water will have even less effect if ingested.

Because THC is insoluble in water, you may wonder if it can be extracted and reused. It is technically possible to extract the THC. However, you will never extract enough THC from bong water to get high again.

Besides some minimal hydration, there are no health benefits to drinking bong water. Drinking dirty bong water is like drinking a puddle. It isn’t great.

Other Uses for Bong Water

If you can’t pour it into your plants and you can’t drink it, are there other ways to use bong water? Unfortunately, there are not many uses for old bong water.

If you keep a compost pile, adding the bong water to the compost should be fine. The compost is full of bacteria, mould, fungi, and acidic materials. By adding bong water, you can incorporate the leftover plant matter into the compost.

Still, you’ll need to have a balanced compost pile to do this. A pile made entirely of coffee grounds, and bong water is too acidic to be useful in your garden. It needs a good amount of decaying plant matter to balance the acidity.

In summary, bong water is essentially useless. Don’t feel bad about wasting bong water. It has served its purpose in filtering harmful materials from your smoke.

Bong Water Alternatives

If you feel guilty about wasting water or you want to mix up your smoking experience, you can try using other liquids besides plain water in your bong. Unsweetened sparkling water will add a fun carbonated sensation.

You can also flavour your smoke with unsweetened cranberry juice. Be sure to clean your water pipe quickly and thoroughly after using any juice to avoid stains and bacteria. Some people have used red wine to smoke from their bongs, but this isn’t recommended due to the sugar content and alcoholic vapours.

Alcoholic vapours are extremely dangerous to your lungs. They can also ignite easily. For this reason, never use vodka, whiskey, rum, or any other alcoholic beverage in your bong.

For obvious reasons, you should never pour juice or alcohol into your plants. Juice used as bong water will still contain harmful pathogens and substances like ash and resin. These liquids are also highly acidic and harmful. (https://fiberclean.com/)

Blooms Don’t Want Bubblers

Is bong water good for plants? At the end of the day, no, bong water is not good for plants. Bongwater can provide some necessary hydration, but the acidity, bacteria, and fungi can be toxic for your plants.

Unless you enjoy the idea of inhaling pathogens, you should change your bong water every time you smoke. Next time you’re having a smoke session, don’t pass the bong to your pothos.

Do you enjoy learning about and growing plants? The Seed Pharm has the best variety of marijuana seeds for you to grow your own herbal garden. Shop our selection of Indicas, Sativas, and hybrids!

The post <h2 class="entry-title">Is Bong Water Good for Plants? | Dos and Don’ts Guide to Growing</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

These methods can include Low-Stress Training (LST), which involves bending the plants and tying them into new positions, and High-Stress Training (HST), such as pruning and topping. Pruning and topping both require removing parts of the plants, which helps shape them, optimize the available light, and produce more colas or flowering sites.

Whether we grow outdoor or indoor plants, these straightforward techniques can help us:

• Optimize our growing space
• Boost our plants’ performance by producing more significant and better yields
• Grow healthier, longer-lasting plants

This article explains the differences between topping and pruning, the benefits of these plant training techniques and some tips on doing both well.

Topped vs Non-Topped Cannabis Plants. What’s the Difference?

Before we learn more about topping and pruning, let’s clear up a common question among growers — What’s the difference between topped vs non-topped cannabis plants?

Topped Cannabis Plants

As the question implies, the difference between topped vs non-topped cannabis plants is that topped plants have had the top of the central stalk, and sometimes secondary colas, removed. We do this to indoor and outdoor plants for several reasons, but it ultimately reshapes our plants for higher and better yields.

Non-Topped Cannabis Plants

Non-topped cannabis plants, or those left to grow naturally, typically form into a Christmas tree shape with one dominant, main stalk — or central cola — and multiple side branches. If the plant is outdoors, each of the various areas of the plant will receive some sunlight during different stages in the day as the sun travels across the sky. However, the lower branches will typically be shaded by the taller ones and receive less light overall.

Even more problematic regarding lighting is indoor cannabis plants that typically receive light from a grow lamp that is stationary and positioned directly above them at all times. The nature of this light source means that a naturally shaped or non-topped cannabis plant grown indoors will receive inefficient light overall as the lower branches and stalks won’t be exposed to it evenly.

Topping our cannabis plants can alleviate this and many more potential issues.

What Is Topping?

Topping is a plant training technique that overcomes lighting inefficiency for indoor and outdoor plants and is the method of choice for growers who want to increase their yields. It is also used by growers who want to optimize their growing space with just a few plants rather than using the Sea of Green (SOG) method, which involves squeezing in as many plants as possible.

Topping is used by cannabis growers during the growing cycle and involves cutting off the top part of the plants’ central stalks to arrest their vertical growth. This training technique promotes the development of two new main stalks, or colas, and the growth of the lower secondary branches.

Want to know more about how to top and marijuana plant?

The Benefits of Topping

The benefits of topping cannabis plants are plentiful. The reshaping that comes from topping allows our plants’ smaller side branches to gain more light exposure. Topping has also been shown to alter biological processes such as photosynthesis and nitrogen, carbon and secondary metabolism, helping to ensure our plants’ health and a quality yield.

Here are some additional benefits:

• Promotes bushier plants with an increased number of buds
• Enables even light distribution for larger buds
• Optimizes limited growing space
• Stimulates healthier plants

Are There Any Down-Sides to Topping?

Removing a healthy part of the plant can seem counter-intuitive and a little intimidating for beginners. Nerves or lack of correct information can lead to the following down-sides to topping:

• An inexact cut at the plant’s node can cause irreversible stress and promote disease
• Inexperienced growers can top too soon or too late, causing undue stress to the plants

How to Top Like a Pro

Since topping does cause stress to our cannabis plants, it’s essential we know what we’re doing before we begin. We also need to ensure our plants are strong and healthy and at the right stage to withstand any stress caused by the topping.

Here are some tips for topping like a pro.

1. Sterilize and sharpen a scalpel or pair of scissors. Topping your plant with a blunt tool can break the stem and leave a larger wound than intended.
2. For the first topping, cut the top of the plant off above the 4th or 5th node in one clean cut. Make sure to leave about 5 mm of space between where you cut and the lateral branches to give you a little bit of room for error.
3. For subsequent toppings of the same plant, cut each side branch above the second or third node.
4. Monitor the plants for signs of stress and adjust care accordingly.

The placement of the toppings will determine the eventual shape of our plants. For example, the first cut should be high enough to leave enough side branches for the plant to bush out properly. The subsequent cuts should allow the plant to continue to bush out, and where we make them depends on how bushy and big we want the final plant to be.

When Should Topping Be Done?

Topping can be done once our plants have developed anywhere between four and six nodes. This vegetative growth stage indicates our plant’s roots and stems will be strong enough to recover.

Counting Nodes

A plant’s stem is made up of nodes and internodes. Nodes are areas on the stems from which branches and leaves grow, while internodes are the intervals on the stems between the nodes. Locating the nodes of a plant is crucial when you are doing regular maintenance, such as topping and pruning.

Our plants should generally reach the topping stage after approximately 30 days of development. However, different plant varieties grow at different speeds, so we always have to consider this.

Don’t top cannabis plants during the seedling stage. Topping during the seedling stage causes too much stress to our plants and risks stunting their growth or killing them altogether.

Don’t top plants during the flowing stage. Topping plants during the flowering stage will waste the plant’s resources it has already spent on growing the colas and buds, ultimately reducing their yield.

Wait for at least one to two weeks before topping any new growth to give the plants ample recovery time from the stress of adjusting to new growth patterns.

What Is Pruning?

Pruning involves selectively removing plant branches and leaves that are dead or won’t receive enough light to grow to their full potential. If these dead plant parts are left to fall off in due time, the plant will waste resources trying to keep them alive. Instead, a pruned plant will be able to optimize its resources to grow strong. Also, produce a more significant number of high-quality, healthy buds.

The Pros of Pruning

Pruning cannabis plants allows them to focus their energies on producing buds in healthy areas. Pruning also results in the following benefits:

• Increases the amount of light the healthy parts of the plants receive
• Reduces pests and diseases by removing infested and infected leaves and branches
• Improves airflow, inhibiting the growth of mould

Pruning Risks

Although pruning cannabis plants is a pretty straightforward training technique, it isn’t without its risks, including the following:

• Over-pruning can reduce the plant’s ability to grow and lead to reduced yields.
• Partial pruning can leave the plant vulnerable to the spreading of disease.
• Pruning at the wrong time, for example, in the flowering stage, can encourage new growth when the plant should be focusing resources on creating buds, reducing the overall yield.

Proper Pruning Procedures

The best time to prune cannabis plants is once they begin to take a bushy shape, which should be in their early stages of growth.

Here are some steps to proper pruning.

1. Use sharp and clean pruning shears.
2. Snip off large branches near the bottom of the plant first to provide some space for the more detailed work.
3. Remove all branches that won’t receive enough light, such as those in the plant’s middle.
4. Prune all small or dying leaves and branches.

Pruning or Topping or Both?

Pruning and topping cannabis plants are both plant training methods used by cannabis growers to help ensure their plants’ health and robust yield. They can be applied to both indoor and outdoor-grown cannabis plants in equal measure and with similar results.

Although plant training may seem daunting, with the proper knowledge, anyone can manage it. And with so many benefits, learning these techniques is worth the effort.

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The short answer is yes, you can harvest the top half of your marijuana plant. You can do this for several reasons, either to give more light to the lower half of the plant, or to simply get things going by harvesting early.

But there’s a little more to it than simply going right ahead and clipping off those buds. You need to understand how harvesting the top can affect other areas of the plant. Let’s get right into it.

Can I Harvest the Top Half of My Plant?

Yes, you can harvest the top half of your plant if you wish. While most of you are probably here to get an answer to this question because it’s something you want to do, there are surely others who are wondering why people are even asking, “Can I harvest the top half of my marijuana plant?” in the first place.

There are two main reasons why someone might want to harvest the top section of their plant:

• To get a head-start on harvesting and starting to dry and cure their cannabis plants.
• To give more light to the lower section of the plant.

The first reason is pretty self-explanatory – some growers enjoy getting a head-start, or perhaps they’re on a time crunch. But the second reason is where we’re going to explore more about today.

Harvesting the top half for better lighting

Some growers notice that the buds on the lower halves of their plants aren’t flourishing properly. This means that the trichomes and pistils aren’t maturing at a normal rate.

Lighting is essential in order for marijuana plants to grow healthily and steadily. While you can concentrate and control lighting indoors more than outdoors, some lighting setups aren’t prepared in a way that gives plants the right amount of lighting.

And if you’re using LEDs like this grower was when he wrote to Nico from Nico’s Nuggets at High Times, then you might run into even more troubles for the bottom of your plants. He wrote, “The buds on top of the plant mature before the ones on the lower branches. Can I chop the mature buds and expect better, larger buds than what I have now or would I be wasting my time?”

As per Nico’s answer, you can clear the branches and leaves at the top to allow better light penetration to the lower portion. But you need to take caution.

If you are going to harvest the top half of your plant, make sure you don’t chop off the entire top half all in one go. This can put a lot of stress on the plant, causing it to stop fruiting at all. It will think it has to regrow its top limbs, which will take away its focus on producing sticky trichomes and thick buds. Simply take off the side branches at the top first. Leave the central shoot alone.

What is Topping a Marijuana Plant? 

Topping a marijuana plant is different to harvesting the plant. Topping is the process of cutting away the upper section of the plant from the main stem, before it’s ready to harvest. It stops the plant from growing vertically, and encourages horizontal growth instead. Topping is different to pruning, as pruning is when you cut off dead twigs or branches to prevent diseases. (www.cookwarejunkies.com)

Topping your plant is important for several reasons:

• If you don’t have enough space in your growing room, topping can help create room.
• It doesn’t affect that plant’s potential, and instead is actually beneficial to its growth. Two new branches will sprout in a Y-shaped formation and produce new flowers.
• When you top your plant, it will grow outwards rather than upwards. This makes it easier for light to reach all branches and colas, thus further enhancing plant health.

How to Harvest Your Marijuana Plant

Whether you’re harvesting just the top half of your plant, or the whole thing, here’s a brief rundown on how to harvest your plant. Quick note: Some people harvest while the plant is still planted, while others trim the entire main stem off. You can try both to find out which one best suits you.

• Start by pulling off the larger fan leaves and their stems with your hands or a pair of sharp trimming scissors.
• Continue with the smaller fan leaves or sugar leaves and remove them out of the way.
• Try not to handle the buds – the less they are touched, the better.
• Hang your buds upside-down or placed inside a cardboard box to dry and cure.

Check out The Seed Pharm Strain Reviews

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• Lemon Cherry Gelato Strain Review
• Black Runtz Strain Review

Final Thoughts

Can I harvest the top half of my marijuana plant? Yes, you most certainly can. And now that you know that you can, make sure you’re doing so using the right methods. Removing the top half can provide the lower half with more lighting. This will help those buds down there grow healthier and stronger. If you want to avoid having to harvest the top half too early, then try topping your plants. This process will encourage the plant to grow outwards rather than upwards, making it easier for light to reach those lower portions naturally.

Ready to start growing a new yield all over again? Give yourself the best chance at a healthy, strong yield with the highest quality marijuana seeds on the market.

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You only need to put one marijuana seed per pot. Yep, it’s as straightforward as that. But if you do want to get into the more nitty-gritty details, then there is a little more to it. This one-seed-one-pot rule only works if you’re using the right methods before and after planting. There are also advantages and disadvantages to one-seed-one-pot planting, which you should know about before embarking on that journey.

But there’s even more – you can in fact plant more than one weed seed per pot in some circumstances. It’s not the easiest of methods, and there are several important elements to the process that you should get yourself familiar with if that’s something you’re considering.

So without further ado, let’s breakdown everything you need to know about how many weed seeds per pot.

How Many Marijuana Seeds Should I Plant Per Pot?

As a general rule of thumb, you only need one single cannabis seed per pot when you’re growing marijuana. It’s a confusing concept for some people who have known traditional planting to use two or three seeds per hole. In fact, some gardeners even “overseed” their plants to ensure that multiple plants will grow, as not all of the seeds will germinate.

This is most likely why this question is so frequently asked. Planting marijuana is not the same as other traditional planting methods. It takes a special sort of patience and care, and it’s crucial to understand all the ins-and-outs of what you’re growing. This way, you’ll have much higher success rates.

Even the bushiest of marijuana plants come from just one seed (in most cases, which we’ll cover below). What you should keep in mind with this one-seed-one-pot rule is that there is the chance some seeds won’t germinate properly. This means you should always have a few extra seeds on hand, just in case one doesn’t work out.

As with anything, though, there are pros and cons to this method. To be fair, there are more pros than cons. But you should still understand what those cons are in case they may be the deciding factor between whether you use one seed per pot, or not.

Advantages of One-Seed-One-Pot Rule

• Sometimes marijuana plants get diseases or infections due to multiple reasons. If not treated properly, they can die off. When you’re growing your plants pot-by-pot, sick or diseased plants can easily be removed from the rest of the plants without contaminating others. You can then treat them separate from the others, making it more cost and time efficient.
• Roots are crucial to the survival of a plant. When the roots are able to grow deep into the soil or hydroponics system, the plant is then able to receive the proper amount of nutrients. When this happens, your plants can then flourish healthily and steadily. If you plant more than one seed in a pot, each plant won’t get the chance to stretch their roots as far. This means they aren’t able to gain the maximum amount of nutrients that they would if they were on their own. And don’t just think that adding in extra nutrients or water will do the trick – it will actually cause an excess for the plants. Therefore, one seed is best in this case.
• When a plant suddenly suffers from nutrient issues, it’s much easier to treat it on its own than also be treating a perfectly healthy plant.
• If you’re not using feminized seeds, then you run the risk of getting male plants in the mix. If you’ve planted two or more seeds in one pot, and then end up with a male plant, your female plants will instantly be infected with pollen and unusable.

Disadvantages of One-Seed-One-Pot Rule

• When planting one seed per pot, you’ll need to buy the exact amount of pots equivalent to the amount of seeds you’re growing. You may also need a better lighting system, since you’ll need a larger surface area to grow all those plants. This can add up to a lot in costs.
• With more pots to add to the mix, there comes a need for more space to fit them all. You’ll need to take that into consideration when you’re creating for growing area.

Germinating Marijuana Seeds

Part of knowing how any weed seeds per pot also comes with understanding the germination process. Germination, also known as “popping”, is when the cannabis seed starts to sprout. This is essentially the first and most crucial step, as if it doesn’t germinate properly, it will stand no chance to grow.

Here’s how you germinate a marijuana seed thanks to Leafly’s handy instructions:

1. Take the four squares of paper towel and soak them in the water. They should be well soaked, but make sure there isn’t any excess water spilling off them.
2. Place these paper towel sheets onto one of the plates. Take your marijuana seeds and place them about an inch apart. Cover them with the other two paper towel sheets.
3. To germinate properly, these seeds need a dark, warm space. Give them the darkness they need by taking the other plate and flipping it over to cover the paper towel and seeds – like they’re in their own dome.
4. These seeds now need to be kept at a warm temperature between 21°C and 29°C.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t I put more than one seed in a pot?

You can plant multiple seeds in one pot, but it isn’t the most efficient or easy method. Most people only do this for breeding purposes, which is when a male plant is bred with a female plant to create new or refine existing genetics.

When breeding, you actually want the male plant to pollinate the female, so you’re not worried about contamination here as you would be with regular growing.

Here are several reasons why it’s best to avoid planting multiple weed seeds in one pot:

• It’s more difficult to separate plants if they are sick, so it can cause other surrounding plants in the same pot to become diseased.
• As mentioned, accidental pollination can render female plants unusable for regular marijuana consumption.
• You’ll need a much larger surface area to accommodate a massive pot, while you can ideally fit more small pots in the same area.
• Each plant within the same pot will be fighting for nutrients and oxygen. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies in some plants.
• This relates back to pollination – if you’re not using feminized seeds and you end up with some males, then the females will have to be removed. This makes the process neither cost nor time-efficient.

What is the best soil for planting marijuana?

If you’re using soil rather than a hydroponics system, then it’s important to use only the best type of soil to ensure healthy plants. It’s widely known that loam is the most ideal soil mix for growing marijuana. It’s a blend of silt, sand and clay – essentially the best of all worlds when it comes to soils. For auto-flowering seeds, in particular, a blend of peat moss, compost, perlite and vermiculite is the best soil to use.

How much will one marijuana plant produce?

This answer largely depends on where you’re growing your marijuana. Indoor growing generally garners a lower yield, but it is more protected from exterior factors. These factors can affect how the plants grow, such as pests and uncontrollable climate. Outdoor plants are less restricted when it comes to space and they get more natural light.

Taking those factors into consideration, an indoor yield on a single plant will average around 453g. an outdoor yield on a single plant will average approximately 500g or more.

How long does it take from seed to harvest?

Speaking on average, it takes anywhere from 10 to 32 weeks for cannabis to grow, flower and be ready for harvest. For auto-flowering seeds, which are faster because they don’t rely on light cycles to grow, it can take around 7 to 15 weeks. Clones take just 1 to 6 weeks since the entire germination stage is eliminated.

Get Yourself Off on the Right Foot

Growing marijuana isn’t easy, so why not give yourself the best chance at a healthy, strong yield? Now that you know how many weed seeds per pot are required to grow a plant, choose only the best seeds on the market. The Seed Pharm has everything you need to get you started, so explore all that we have to offer and find your favourite strains.

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A blunt is a heavy hitter wrapped in tobacco paper and filled with a large amount of marijuana.

A joint is wrapped in regular rolling paper and contains only marijuana.

A spliff may look the same as a joint as it’s also rolled in rolling paper, but it actually contains tobacco as well as marijuana to give you that added kick.

But there’s certainly more to the blunt vs. joint vs. spliff mystery that we’re going to break down today. We’ll walk you through potential costs, the best times to smoke each one, as well as rolling methods.

By the end of this, you’ll pretty much be an expert on all things blunt, joint and spliff. You’ll also have a much clearer understanding, which will help you decide which one is best for you. Let’s jump right into it.

Differences Summarized

If you want to get down to the good stuff in a rush, here are all the differences between each in this quick overview.

What is a Blunt?

A blunt isn’t for the faint of heart, as it’s the most intense out of the three. A blunt is marijuana that’s been rolled inside a tobacco wrap. A tobacco wrap is used instead of regular rolling paper because it’s made to give you a more intense high, where the tobacco adds a buzz.

Blunts are typically larger in size than joints and spliffs – both vertically and in terms of width. You can buy blunt wraps from most tobacco stores, but you can also get them from a cigar. Simply empty out the contents of the cigar, wet it, and that’s your wrap to make a blunt.

If you’re looking for a slow burn, where you can really kick back and relax over a long period, then go for a blunt. Due to the thickness of the paper, it takes a lot longer to smoke. It’s for this reason that a lot of people reserve blunts for special occasions. But, there are certainly plenty of people out there who choose blunts every time they smoke.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Easy to light
• Long and slow burn
• Perfect for sharing
• Addition of tobacco gives you an extra buzz
• Available in different flavours
• Intense effects

Cons

• Can be too intense for some people
• Tobacco can add a strange taste
• Some people don’t enjoy flavours
• Can be difficult to roll

How Much Does a Blunt Cost?

Tobacco wraps for blunts can go anywhere from $2 a pack to $7 or over for about three to five blunts. You can also get packs of multiples, like 50 wraps for $30. Add that to however much you paid for your tobacco and weed, and that’s your final price.

CTV News released a helpful article on marijuana prices across Canada. For example, 1g costs $6.99 – $13.99 and 3.5g costs $24.99 for British Columbia.

When Should I Use a Blunt?

Since blunts are one of the more intense forms of smoking cannabis, you should use them when you’re going for a heightened high. You should also use it if you enjoy a nice buzz or slight boost in energy, thanks to the added tobacco. They’re also great for sharing, especially in smaller, more intimate circles because of the slow burn.

How to Roll a Blunt

• Prep the blunt by wetting the wrapper. Don’t forget to dry it off afterwards with some paper towel, but make sure it’s still damp so that it doesn’t crack.
• Fill the wrapper with your weed of choice. A standard size needs around 2g.
• Roll it up between your fingers to make the weed compact. Tuck the wrap under itself and wet it again lengthways.
• Gently seal it using a lighter.

What is a Joint?

Probably the most popular of them all, a joint is small and compact but packs a punch when you need it. A joint is a marijuana that’s been rolled inside thin rolling paper made from things like hemp, flax, or pulp from rice or wood.

You can get rolling papers that come with all sorts of patterns and colours, but the most traditional ones are plain white. The most used sizes include single sizes, 1 ¼, 1 ½, and wide and king sizes. While not everyone’s preference, some enjoy papers with flavourings like chocolate or grape.

Unlike blunts, joints come with a “filter” or tip at one end. This makes it more stable and secure while rolling, but also ensures you don’t heat up your fingers once you finish smoking.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Easy to light
• Small size
• Portable
• Great for sharing
• Lets you put out to smoke later

Cons

• Not very discreet
• Can be difficult to roll

How Much Does a Joint Cost?

You can buy a pre-rolled joint at an average price of around $7.50 to $8 per joint. You can also get packs of pre-rolled joints to keep you well-stocked for a while. These can run from $20 for a pack of 3, to $120 for a pack of 20 joints.

It can depend on the quality, though, so make sure you’re not just going for the lowest prices. Always do your research when it comes to buying pre-rolled joints so that you know what’s inside and what you’re putting in your body.

When Should I Use a Joint?

Joints are a great starting point for anyone who wants to try out smoking weed. There is no tobacco inside, so you aren’t getting any adverse effects from that, and they’re a little easier to manage in terms of cerebral effects.

Use a joint when you’re smoking with one or two friends (it burns pretty quickly) or just by yourself to switch off and relax.

How to Roll a Joint

• Make a tip or “filter” using something like a thin piece of cardboard. This isn’t actually a filter as you’re not filtering the weed, but it’s more of a crutch to help you hold the joint and avoid burning fingers.
• Put the tip at one end of the rolling paper.
• Fill the paper with weed – anywhere from ½ a gram to 1g is enough.
• Roll the paper by pinching it and going back and forth to make it compact.
• Tuck the paper, roll again, and “glue” the part sticking out using some saliva or water.
• Finish it off by twisting the end without the tip so that no tobacco can fall out – you don’t have to do this if you’re smoking it right away.

What is a Spliff?

A spliff is essentially like a joint, but it contains tobacco as well as marijuana. In fact, most of the time it contains more tobacco than blunts. This means you’ll get more of a buzz, rather than a couch-locking high. This does depend on the type of weed, though.

Spliffs are typically the cheapest out of all three options. This is because there is tobacco added in which can cut costs, but they’re also isn’t as much weed as what you’d put in a blunt. Spliffs are most common in Europe, as they are viewed as “less wasteful” than joints since you’re stretching out the weed with tobacco.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Easy to light
• Small size
• Portable
• Great for sharing
• Lets you put out to smoke later
• Discreet as it seems like you’re smoking a cigarette

Cons

• Not intense enough for some people’s taste
• Some people find that tobacco ruins the experience with the weed
• Can be difficult to roll

How Much Does a Spliff Cost?

Spliffs are generally less expensive than a joint because you’re cutting the cost by including tobacco. Using tobacco from cigarettes or packs of tobacco will cut costs as you’re using it to spread out the amount of weed you have.

When Should I Use a Spliff?

Use spliffs just how you’d use a joint, except keep in mind that you’re getting more of an energetic buzz. This means they are great for daytime use in most cases, as they won’t completely knock you out. They’re still perfect for helping you chill out and wind down.

How to Roll a Spliff

• Make a tip or “filter” using something like a thin piece of cardboard. This isn’t actually a filter as you’re not filtering the weed, but it’s more of a crutch to help you hold the joint and avoid burning fingers.
• Put the tip at one end of the rolling paper.
• Fill the paper with weed and some tobacco – you can change the ratio depending on your preferences.
• Roll the paper by pinching it and going back and forth to make it compact.
• Tuck the paper, roll again, and “glue” the part sticking out using some saliva or water.
• Finish it off by twisting the end without the tip so that no tobacco can fall out – you don’t have to do this if you’re smoking it right away.

Final Thoughts

The differences between a blunt vs. joint vs. spliff come down to what they are being wrapped with, as well as what’s going inside. A blunt is on the heavier side with tobacco wrap and a large amount of weed, while joints and spliffs use thinner rolling paper. Spliffs contain tobacco as well as weed for a buzz and a high. When it comes to choosing the right one, it all depends on your personal preference. If possible, try out each method to find out which one you enjoy most. Or who knows – perhaps you’ll fall in love with all three methods and interchange between them on the regular.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">Blunt vs Joint vs Spliff – Key Differences</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

We want you to be able to experience a cruisy growth process, no matter if it’s a hobby or something you see yourself getting into long-term. Auto-flowering seeds already streamline the process for you, producing fast yields with a low-maintenance growth pattern. Since they don’t rely on strict light cycles, autoflowers need less attention and work than other cannabis seeds.

Autoflowers come from the Cannabis Ruderalis family, alongside two of the other most popular strains – Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica. It originated in Eastern Asia, closer to the extreme points of the northern hemisphere, making it a strong, resilient strain that had to survive in tough conditions.

This is what makes them so perfect for beginners. There’s plenty more room for error, as they’re not as sensitive as regular seeds. So if you’re still getting used to fostering that green thumb of yours, then autos are going to be your new best friends.

As part of this Ultimate Guide to Growing Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds, we’re going to break down everything you need to know. From an in-depth look at how to grow autoflowers, to the best auto-flowering varieties on the market, you’ll discover all the must-have info you need for successful harvests.

What are Auto-Flowering Cannabis Seeds?

While regular seeds grow at an average pace, think of autoflowers as their speedy counterpart. Like going through the drive-thru at your favourite fast-food place. Or using a new smartphone that’s instantly faster than your old one.

Autoflower Quick Facts

• Ideal for beginner growers
• Fast harvest period under 13 weeks
• Short and compact stature for easy indoor growing
• Non-reliant on light cycles
• Modern strains contain strong, potent genetics
• Resilient plants that survive in tough conditions

Auto-flowering seeds have been bred to produce fast-growing yields, which lets you fit in more harvests during one period. This is in comparison to those regular seeds that limit your harvests to a certain number each year.

Auto-flowering seeds grow rapidly and don’t rely on light cycles. This is quite different from other seeds, as they will only reach the flowering process if they receive a certain amount of light. In other words, they are photoperiod plants. Photoperiodism is the response to changes in daylength, which allows plants to adjust to seasonal environmental changes.

Since autos are not photoperiod plants, they flower once the plant reaches a certain age, instead of flowering dependent on particular light cycles. You still need to use some form of light while growing using autos, but they are not dependent like regular seeds.

It’s this autonomy that makes autoflowers so perfect for beginner growers. That intimidation-factor of constantly caring and tending to the plants is eliminated, so growing is instantly made easier.

Should I Grow with Auto-Flowering Seeds?

Choosing autos to grow in your garden is one of the best options, as they are low-maintenance, fast-yielding, and strong against exterior factors. Since they grow quicker, you can even get multiple harvests into the span of one regular harvest. Here are some other advantages of growing using autos:

• The plants they produce are short, which means they are easier to keep private from prying neighbours. This also prevents the need for constant trellising, so they are quite low maintenance.
• You can harvest larger amounts more often due to the fast flowering process.
• These plants are resistant to unstable temperatures, so you could even grow all year round. You should still keep them warm, but if a little cold gets in, they won’t be as affected as other types of seeds.
• They are resistant to mould and pests.
• A high CBD content within auto seeds makes them perfect for making products for medicinal users.

Differences Between Growing Auto-Flowering and Feminized Marijuana Seeds

Autoflowers aren’t the only seeds that steal the spotlight. Feminized marijuana seeds are hugely popular with cultivators, particularly with the pros.

Feminized marijuana seeds grow like regular seeds, relying on light cycles, and only contain female genetics that produce female buds. Female buds are the only buds that you can smoke, unlike their male counterpart, which you cannot consume. This directly compares to autoflowers, which do not rely on those light cycles to grow.

Feminized Seed Quick Facts

• Ideal for experienced growers
• Potent yield
• Stronger genetics
• Only produces female plants
• Cost-effective
• Ideal for cloning

Essentially, feminized seeds eliminate that 50/50 chance of having female or male plants. Male plants are undesirable because they grow pollen sacs instead of buds. It’s these pollen sacs that make the male plants unsuitable.

Not only can you not smoke male plants, but they can also pollinate the female plants. Once pollinated, the female plants will produce seeds, not buds, so you can’t harvest them to make them into the bud you know and love. This should be left to the real expert growers, as removing the males can be a delicate process.

Even though you can’t smoke from male plants, they do have some uses other than breeding with females when you need more seeds. Male plants can be utilized for:

• Hemp fiber—males produce a softer material, while females produce a coarser, stronger fiber. The soft fiber from males is more desirable for products like clothing, tablecloths, and other household items.
• Concentrate production—males do have some THC and can be psychoactive, but much less so than females. Small amounts of cannabinoids can be found in the leaves, stems, and sacs, which can be extracted to produce hash and other oils.

Are All Auto-Flowering Seeds Feminized?

One of the largest cause for confusion we’ve noticed for beginner growers is whether all autoflowers are feminized. Most feminized seeds are not autoflowers, so are all autoflowers feminized? A bit of a mind-twister, we know.

Well, we’re here to clear things up. These days, yes, most auto-flowering varieties are already feminized. Due to the existing user-friendly nature of auto-flowering seeds, it makes sense for most of them to already come feminized. This makes the growing process even easier, as you don’t need to potentially account time for removing male plants from the mix.

If you’re still unsure, we suggest always checking each individual strain to check if it’s labelled as “feminized” on the off-chance that it isn’t.

Ultimate Guide to Growing Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds

If we had to choose one of the best advantages of autos, other than the fast harvest period, then it would have to be its size that makes it perfect for indoor growing. Not only does its small stature make it perfect for smaller indoor spaces, but it also keeps out those nosy neighbours.

You can set up your indoor garden in privacy. With most other seed varieties (particularly Sativa strains) this isn’t as easy. They mostly have to be grown outdoors, growing quite tall, so you can’t keep it much of a secret.

Once your autos are planted, here’s what you can expect during the growth process:

1. Germination

Germination is fast with these seeds, taking just one to five days rather than up to ten days like some varieties. One of the easiest ways is to drop the seeds gently into a glass of room-temperature water and keep it in a dark space at around 27°C. After 72 hours you can transfer it to a soaking wet paper towel – cover it with a more wet paper towel to keep it dark and warm. Once you see it sprout, transfer it to the soil.

2. Seedling

By now, a seedling should be visible. The leaves are very small at this stage. This is where you can provide some light, like a 250W LED, and you can also give some nutrients. Auto-flowering varieties need only a quarter to half the amount of nutrients that would be given to photoperiods.

3. Vegetation

For the best growing process, keep the environmental temperature no more or less than 20°C and humidity levels between 40% and 50%. Provide half a litre of water each day. You might even begin to see some flowering happening at the later vegetative stage!

4. Flowering

Now you’ll notice some sacs begin to peek out from the nodes. At their biggest, autoflowering marijuana plants can grow up to just 60cm. Increase the surrounding temperature by about 1° each week, reaching 25°C by the final week.

How to Grow Using Hydroponics

Growing using a hydroponic system is the most cost-effective in the long term, and saves the most space. Hydroponics involves the use of water to provide the plant with necessary nutrients and oxygen, rather than soil. This makes it more powerful and potent than using soil, but it’s a little trickier to maintain than growing with soil.

After planting the seeds in Rapid Rooters and on top of the pellets, you can follow these steps:

• Start by setting up the water reservoir. This will hold the water pump and air stone, as well as a drainage line.
• The grow bed or table is next, and this is where the plants will gain and return the leftover water to the reservoir.
• Each bucket for the grow table should be able to hold around 19L and need to have holes drained into the base to let the excess water drain out. Fill these buckets up with clay pellets after soaking them overnight.
• Use the plastic tubing from the water pump and place it across the table. Use the drip line gear to pierce holes into the buckets and attach the drip line emitters to the ends of the drip lines.
• Practice the system to make sure it’s working before putting the plants in. Water should be constantly moving from the air pump that helps it run and stay oxygenated.
• Now you can fill up the reservoir with the nutrient-rich water solution and place the germinated seeds inside the pellets.

How to Grow Using Soil

Growing with soil is certainly the easier option for beginners. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment, and you can still do it indoors. Planting autoflowers is not much different to planting regular seeds. Just make sure you’re using the best soil for auto-flowering seeds, as it’s different for other seeds, and you’re all set to go.

Here’s how it works:

• You can either dig a hole outside and fill it with fresh soil or fill some pots with soil. Use a soil with compost, peat moss, perlite and vermiculite. Keep acidity levels between 6.2 and 6.5.
• Consider soaking your marijuana seeds to help them germinate. You can soak them for up to 12 hours, and afterwards put them on a towel or paper towel and store them outside of direct sunlight, but still keep them warm.
• Continue spraying these seeds to keep them moist and wait for them to germinate. They should open up within 48 hours, but this will vary depending on the type of seed and surrounding conditions.
• Once germinated, fill up some pots of containers with soil. Delicately insert the seeds into some small holes, but don’t put them too deep or too close to the surface of the soil.

From here, you should provide the plants with anywhere from 18 to 24 hours of light each day. You could potentially give them 12 hours if you’re going them alongside regular seeds, but we don’t recommend this as it usually leads to smaller, less potent buds.

Final Thoughts

There’s a reason why autos are one of the most sought-after on the market (several reasons, actually), and we hope we’ve helped you gain a better understanding of what they’re all about with this Ultimate Guide to Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds. Autoflowers are ideal for beginners because they are low maintenance, fast growing, and take up less space. Remember to check if they’re feminized before buying if you want to avoid growing male plants, and use the best soil with enough aeration for those rapid roots to grow.

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Auto-flowering marijuana seeds need light and aerated soil to let the roots move easily during its fast growth period. This includes a mixture of compost and peat moss. Autos are also more sensitive than other seed varieties, so it needs soil that contains less potent nutrients. We suggest making your own soil, rather than buying one pre-made. This lets you control the amount of nutrients.

So, while these are some of the strongest seeds on the market, having evolved to adjust to extreme conditions in Eastern Asia, they still need the right love and care. If you don’t use the best soil for auto-flowering seeds, you run the risk of stunting your plants, or even making them unable to grow at all. Continue reading to uncover more about autoflowers and soil.

What Are Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds?

Much like their name suggests, auto-flowering seeds are a type of seed that grows “automatically”. This means they don’t rely on light cycles to grow. Instead, autos will flower once the plant reaches a certain age. They do require some light to grow and thrive, but the light doesn’t need to be monitored as much as other varieties.

Autoflowers are not photoperiod plants, which means they are not dependent on seasonal environmental changes. This makes them advantageous for cultivators who want more harvests throughout the year, as the process from seed to harvest is much faster than most other varieties.

Auto-flowering marijuana seeds are fast-growing and produce short plants with thick stems. This all makes sense when you consider their origins close to the North and South Pole. With such extreme, cold conditions, these plants have had to adapt to survive.

Best Soil for Autoflowers

The best soil for auto-flowering seeds is a blend of peat moss, compost, perlite, and vermiculite.

• Compost is a combination of decaying, nutrient-rich soil that keeps the rest of the soil fresh.
• Peat moss is a type of moss found in wetland areas of Canada. It is a soil amendment that improves its overall health and physicality, and is ideal for plants that lean more on the acidic side.
• Perlite is a type of natural volcanic glass, made into a lightweight form that improves drainage and aeration – a match-made-in-heaven, autoflowers that need plenty of airflow.
• Vermiculite is the name used to define a group of hydrated laminar minerals, and is added to potting soil to enhance water and nutrient retention. It also aerates the soil, although a little less than perlite, but when paired together, provide plenty of wiggle room for those autoflower roots.

The ideal ratio of these elements for auto-flowering seeds is as follows:

• 3 parts compost
• 3 parts peat moss
• 2 parts perlite
• 1 part vermiculite

This ratio keeps things light and airy, which is exactly what your autos want. Once you’ve mixed these together, you can go ahead and place the soil in your pots. Remember to keep nutrients light, as autoflowers don’t need much additional help.

How to Grow Auto-Flowering Seeds

With your mixture at the ready, it’s time to plant those seeds. This process is the same as other cannabis seeds – the only thing that really changes is whether you’re using soil or hydroponics.

Now that your seeds are planted, here’s what you can expect:

1. Germination

Germination is fast with these seeds, taking just one to five days rather than up to ten days like some varieties. One of the easiest ways is to drop the seeds gently into a glass of room-temperature water and keep it in a dark space at around 27°C. After 72 hours you can transfer it to a soaking wet paper towel – cover it with a more wet paper towel to keep it dark and warm. Once you see it sprout, transfer it to the soil.

2. Seedling

By now, a seedling should be visible. The leaves are very small at this stage. This is where you can provide some light, like a 250W LED, and you can also give some nutrients. Auto-flowering varieties need only a quarter to half the amount of nutrients that would be given to photoperiods.

3. Vegetation

For the best growing process, keep the environmental temperature no more or less than 20°C and humidity levels between 40% and 50%. Provide half a litre of water each day. You might even begin to see some flowering happening at the later vegetative stage!

4. Flowering

Now you’ll notice some sacs begin to peek out from the nodes. At their biggest, autoflowering marijuana plants can grow up to just 60cm. Increase the surrounding temperature by about 1° each week, reaching 25°C by the final week.

Much like growing other seed varieties, the type of soil is not the only thing that matters in producing a strong, healthy yield. Other factors including pH levels and nutrients also come into play.

Essential nutrients you should be giving to your autoflowers include nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. And when it comes to your soil’s pH, it must be kept within the 6.2 and 6.5 range. Autoflowers like things a little acidic, but don’t go overboard as this can create a toxic environment for the plants.

Grow Your Own Auto-Flowering Seeds

Now that you know the best soil for auto-flowering seeds, you can be on your merry way to growing your own weed. Just remember to use the correct ratio – 3 parts compost and peat most, to 2 parts perlite, and 1 part vermiculite – and you’ve got yourself the perfectly aerated and lightweight soil to grow with. If you’re using the best soil, then it makes sense to only use the best seeds. Explore our huge range of top-tier auto-flowering seeds, feminized seeds, and much more.

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We’ve found this is a particularly popular question for those growing weed indoors. They often want to know how small or large the plants will get, so that they can accommodate for the space. After all, you’re not going to have the same space allowances than if you were growing outdoors.

As a general guide, most autoflowers grow from 50cm to 70cm tall, but some can reach heights of 100cm. This is what makes them so ideal for indoor growing, as some other marijuana plants can grow as tall as 1.8m.

Whether you’re well into your growing process, or you’re just thinking about cultivating, then start yourself off on the right foot with the best in auto-flowering and feminized marijuana seed varieties. Once you’ve got your hands on those, keep reading for all the information you need on autos and their characteristics.

Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds Explained

Auto-flowering marijuana seeds (also referred to as Cannabis ruderalis) are a type of seed that doesn’t rely on light cycles to grow. This is different to regular marijuana seeds or feminized marijuana seeds which both will only start flowering depending on the amount of light they receive. This means they are “photoperiod” plants.

So, it’s pretty much all in the name – “auto” flowering means the seeds produce plants that automatically flower once the plant becomes a certain age. The light should still be used to help auto-flowering strains grow, but they are not as dependent on it.

Auto-flowering marijuana seeds are fast-growing and produce short plants with thick stems. This all makes sense when you consider their origins close to the North and South Pole. With such extreme, cold conditions, these plants have had to adapt to survive. They’re short to retain heat better, and buds grow quickly to reproduce before they get exposed to much to the cold and die out.

How Tall Do Autoflowers Get

If you haven’t done prior research, and you’re used to growing other types of seeds, then you’ll probably be surprised at how small some autoflowers turn out. With an average size ranging between 50cm and 100cm, these are perfect for indoor gardens. No nosy neighbours, and no need to build a massive tent for your growing ventures.

That being said, sativa-dominant autoflowers can stretch a little taller than others. Sativa plants are already taller than their counterpart Indica, so as an auto-flowering variety they can reach up to 1.80m in some cases. This will depend on many factors, including the levels of light, water, pH, humidity, nutrients, and so on.

Keep in mind that just because an autoflower turns out short, doesn’t mean it will produce bad buds. If you want to avoid a short plant, make sure its surrounding environmental conditions are properly maintained. The key, though, is to give it the best chance from the beginning with high-quality seeds. Some online seed banks supply low-quality seeds, which can lead to a stunted autoflower plant.

Growing Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds

Now you know the background on autos, why should you grow them? These aren’t for everyone, but they are extremely popular among beginner growers. This is because they require less maintenance than some other seeds, such as feminized, THC, indica, CBD, and so on. You don’t need to constantly adjust the light cycles, leaving a little breathing room when it comes to making mistakes during the growth process.

Here are the steps for growing auto-flowering seeds:

1. Germination

Germination is fast with these seeds, taking just one to five days rather than up to ten days like some varieties. One of the easiest ways is to drop the seeds gently into a glass of room-temperature water and keep it in a dark space at around 27°C. After 72 hours you can transfer it to a soaking wet paper towel – cover it with a more wet paper towel to keep it dark and warm. Once you see it sprout, transfer it to the soil.

2. Seedling

By now, a seedling should be visible. The leaves are very small at this stage. This is where you can provide some light, like a 250W LED, and you can also give some nutrients. Auto-flowering varieties need only a quarter to half the amount of nutrients that would be given to photoperiods.

3. Vegetation

For the best growing process, keep the environmental temperature no more or less than 20°C and humidity levels between 40% and 50%. Provide half a litre of water each day. You might even begin to see some flowering happening at the later vegetative stage!

4. Flowering

Now you’ll notice some sacs begin to peek out from the nodes. At their biggest, autoflowering marijuana plants can grow up to just 60cm. Increase the surrounding temperature by about 1° each week, reaching 25°C by the final week.

Where Can I Buy Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds?

You’ll find autos at the best online marijuana seed banks. Typically, they’ll be listed with the other types of seeds, so you can click through and find the best one to suit your needs. You’ll find different strains with various flavours and THC or CBD levels, so make sure to check before you buy. Our range provides the highest-quality types of seeds on the market, with countless options to suit exactly what you want and need.

Grow Your Own Auto-Flowering Seeds

As some of the easiest and fastest seeds to grow, autoflowers are an excellent, practical option for anyone starting out. Growing between 50cm and 100cm, with the slight chance of 1.8m for some sativa varieties, auto-flowering seeds are ideal for smaller indoor gardens. What’s more, you won’t ever have to worry about a nosy neighbour again – they won’t even know it’s there.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">How Tall Do Autoflowers Get?</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

Auto-flowering seeds are already the most streamlined seed on the market. These babies don’t rely on light cycles to grow, so they leave more room for error. So, to best understand how to grow auto-flowering seeds using hydroponics, you need to understand how this system works.

A hydroponic system doesn’t need soil, and instead uses water to provide the plant with nutrients. Everything is delivered directly into the roots, making it a more powerful and potent growing method.

Growing auto-flowering seeds using hydroponics follows the same basic rules as growing any other seed using this method. Keep reading for everything you need to know on the auto-flowering variety and hydroponics.

How to Grow Marijuana Using a Hydroponic System

Although hydroponic systems can require some extra TLC than soil growth, they are known to maximize yields and speed up the growing process. Working with soil leaves plenty of room for error in most cases. Some cultivators steer clear of soil for several reasons:

• You may not be able to recycle soil
• Susceptibility to pest problems
• Difficult to determine proper amount of nutrients
• Need to carefully monitor soil pH
• Soil quality significantly influences the final product

Using auto-flowering seeds is really no different from other seeds, such as feminized or CBD marijuana seeds. Like always, each seed must go through its germination stage. This is where the seeds “hatch” or “pop” to reveal a sprout, which is when you know it’s time to transfer it to a pot to begin the growing process. We’re explored in-depth how to germinate marijuana seeds if you’re unsure how.

After that, it’s time to decide which kind of hydroponic system you’d like to use.

What are the six kinds of hydroponic systems?

Each of these systems have their advantages and disadvantages, which you can learn more about from Fresh Water Systems.

• Ebb and flow – This works by flooding a grow bed using a nutrient solution from the reservoir located underneath the roots. Using a timer, the water pump fills the grow bed every 15 minutes or so with the solution.
• Aeroponics – Here, plants are suspended in the air and a nutrient-rich mist is used to feed the roots. This system is enclosed and can’t be exposed to light or exterior moisture. S
• Deep water culture – Plants suspended in aerated water. The roots are immersed in the water solution, giving it constant access to all the nutrients it needs.
• Wick systems – Roots are placed in the growing medium within a tray on top of the reservoir. Several wicks made from rope or string travel from the reservoir to the growing tray, and these wicks are used to transport nutrients.
• Nutrient film technique – Also known as NFT, this method sees plants hanging over a stream of endlessly flowing nutrient solution that splashes over the ends of the roots.
• Drip systems – This method uses tubes to transport the nutrient solution to the plants. These tubes drip the solution slowly into the growing medium that holds the root system, ensuring constant moisture and sustenance.

Once you’ve chosen and have all your equipment, you can then move onto the planting stage.

How to Plant Auto-Flowering Seeds with Hydroponics

• Use a Rapid Rooter or other medium to plant your autos when using a hydroponic system.
• Keep the Rapid Rooter quite moist, but not drenched.
• Put the Rapid Rooter on top of the pellets and add more pellets around it to keep it steady.
• Just like planting with soil, use tweezers to gently place the seed inside the Rapid Rooter with the root facing the base.
• Unlike planting with soil, you don’t need to cover the top of the Rapid Rooter or pellets. The top of the Rapid Rooter should be just peeking out above the pellets.

And finally, the rest of the growth and maintenance stages.

How to Grow Auto-Flowering Seeds with Hydroponics

• Start by setting up the water reservoir. This will hold the water pump and air stone, as well as a drainage line.
• The grow bed or table is next, and this is where the plants will gain and return the leftover water to the reservoir.
• Each bucket for the grow table should be able to hold around 19L and need to have holes drained into the base to let the excess water drain out. Fill these buckets up with clay pellets after soaking them overnight.
• Use the plastic tubing from the water pump and place it across the table. Use the drip line gear to pierce holes into the buckets and attach the drip line emitters to the ends of the drip lines.
• Practice the system to make sure it’s working before putting the plants in. Water should be constantly moving from the air pump that helps it run and stay oxygenated.
• Now you can fill up the reservoir with the nutrient-rich water solution and place the germinated seeds inside the pellets.

What are Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds?

“Auto-flowering” refers to the ability of these seeds to flower in an “automatic” sense. This means that they don’t require regular light cycles to grow, in comparison to other seeds which need these light cycles to develop.

So, rather than reaching their final form thanks to light, auto-flowering seeds grow and flourish once the plant reaches a certain age. These seeds do need some light to help them on their way, but certainly not as much as feminized or other seeds. In other words, they aren’t light-dependent.

Which is Better: Soil or Hydroponics?

At the end of the day, it all depends on your own personal preferences. Would you enjoy the slightly increased maintenance required for hydroponic systems? Or would you prefer to get your hands a little dirty and work with soil?

Hydroponics are great for those who love growing indoors, don’t want to deal with insects or other pests, want to save space, and enjoy controlling nutrient levels.

Soil is ideal for those who want less maintenance, need a more forgiving growing process, love outdoor growing, and who need a more affordable option upfront.

Grow Your Own Weed Today

Growing your autos using hydroponics is the same as growing them using regular seeds. Using this system instead of soil is easy once you get the hang of it, and produces significantly more potent weed and increased yields. To even further streamline the process, we suggest choosing auto-flowering feminized marijuana seeds to eliminate the chance of producing male plants, which can contaminate the females and reduce the amount of usable buds from your crop.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">How to Grow Auto-Flowering Seeds Using Hydroponics</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

It’s one of the largest cause for confusion, as it’s not always clear whether some auto-flowering seeds are feminized. Auto-flowering seeds grow without relying on light cycles. Feminized seeds grow like regular seeds (relying on light cycles) and only contain female genetics, hence only producing female plants and buds. If an auto-flowering seed is not feminized, then there is a 50/50 chance that you’ll get male plants as well as female. And those male plants can cause quite a hassle.

So, are all auto-flowering marijuana seeds feminized? These days, yes, most auto-flowering varieties are feminized. Since auto-flower seeds are designed to streamline the process, it makes sense that they’re feminized to even further speed things up and make things as straightforward as possible.

Before getting your hands on the best auto-flowering and feminized seeds on the market, keep reading to discover more about the two most popular varieties.

What are Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds?

It’s pretty much all in the name. “Auto-flowering” refers to the ability of these seeds to flower in an “automatic” sense. This means that they don’t require regular light cycles to grow, in comparison to other seeds which need these light cycles to develop.

You can also refer to regular seeds as photoperiod seeds, if you want to get a little fancy. Photoperiodism is the response to changes in daylength, which allows plants to adjust to seasonal environmental changes.

So, rather than reaching their final form thanks to light, auto-flowering seeds grow and flourish once the plant reaches a certain age. These seeds do need some light to help them on their way, but certainly not as much as feminized or other seeds. In other words, they aren’t light-dependent.

You may have heard a myth floating around that all auto-flowering seeds are less potent than feminized. Due to new research and advancements, you can find auto-flowering varieties with just as much THC potency as regular seeds. THC is a cannabinoid within the marijuana plant that makes you high, whereas CBD has no psychoactive effect.

Pros

• Ideal for beginner growers
• Fast harvest period
• Short and compact for easy growing indoors
• Not reliant on light cycles
• High in CBD
• Strong genetics

Cons

• Unable to clone (or at least very difficult)
• Reduced yield
• Can be less potent in THC

Are All Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds Feminized?

When it comes to the feminized or non-feminized topic, you’ll find that most auto-flowering seeds are in fact feminized. Due to the existing user-friendly nature of auto-flowering seeds, it makes sense for most of them to already come feminized. This makes the growing process even easier, as you don’t need to potentially account time for removing male plants from the mix.

What are Feminized Marijuana Seeds?

Feminized seeds are seeds that only produce female plants, and hence are hugely popular among experienced cultivators. They produce huge yields with strong, potent buds, and are much easier to clone. This means that growers don’t need to purchase new seeds each time, and can instead clone their existing seeds that produced the best plants. You know, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?

Essentially, feminized seeds eliminate that 50/50 chance of having female or male plants. Male plants are undesirable because they grow pollen sacs instead of buds. It’s these pollen sacs that make the male plants pretty useless (to put it lightly).

Not only can you not smoke male plants, but they can also pollinate the female plants. Once pollinated, the female plants will produce seeds, not buds, so you can’t harvest them to make them into the bud you know and love. This should be left to the real expert growers, as removing the males can be a delicate process.

Pros

• Ideal for experienced growers
• Potent yield
• Stronger genetics
• Only produces female plants
• Cost-effective
• Ideal for cloning

Cons

• Slightly slower harvest period
• Possibility of hermaphrodite plants

Male plants do have some uses. For instance, they can be harvested to make a soft hemp fibre, used for clothes or other homeware pieces.

So, feminized is pretty much the way to go if you want a smoother growing process. That is why most people are looking for an auto-flowering variety that is already feminized. If you’re not sure, make sure to always check the strain’s details to ensure that it’s feminized.

Best Way to Store Marijuana Seeds

No matter which kind of seed you’re growing, you need to know how to store it to ensure it stays fresh and survives in time for the germination process. Seeds can be used for up to 10 years if they’ve been stored properly. You should really be using fresh seeds, but that’s to give you an idea of just how important storage is to the viability of your seeds. It’s best to plant your seeds within a year of storage.

• Keep seeds away from any form of light.
• Store them between 4.4 °C and 8.3 °C.
• Control humidity levels between 5% and 9%.
• Keep them in a clean environment to prevent contamination from insects, bacteria, and mould.
• Use Mylar bags or glass containers with an airtight seal. Do not use plastic jars or bags, as these are more porous.

Buy Auto-Flowering and Feminized Marijuana Seeds Today

Now you know that most auto-flowering seeds are feminized, it’s time to grow these babies yourself. Make the process easier with some of the best auto-flowering varieties, as well as the best feminized if you’re a little more experienced. To be safe, we suggest always checking each individual strain of seeds to see if they are labelled as “feminized”.

The post <h2 class="entry-title">Are All Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds Feminized?</h2> appeared first on The Seed Pharm.

Auto-flowering marijuana seeds automatically grow without relying on light cycles. Feminized marijuana seeds grow like regular seeds, relying on light cycles, and only contain female genetics that produce female buds. Female buds are the only buds that you can smoke, unlike their male counterpart, which you cannot consume.

Both types of seeds have their advantages, which is why it’s important to understand each one. A better understanding means a stronger, healthier yield, which is the ultimate goal of every grower. And before you buy either auto-flowering or feminized seeds from your favourite online seed retailer, you should be setting yourself up for the best chance at a prosperous yield. Keep reading to uncover more about these two popular seeds.

Auto-flowering Marijuana Seeds

Auto-flowering seeds (also known as Cannabis ruderalis) get their name from their autonomy. While you still need to give them the basic necessities – water, nutrition, and of course a few loving words of encouragement – these seeds do not need regular light cycles.

This is quite different from other seeds, especially feminized, as they will only reach the flowering process if they receive a certain amount of light. In other words, they are photoperiod plants. Photoperiodism is the response to changes in daylength, which allows plants to adjust to seasonal environmental changes.

So, instead of flourishing into their final form thanks to light, these plants actually flower once the plant reaches a certain age. You should still use some light to help these seeds on their way, but they are not as dependent on it as feminized or other types of seeds.

Auto-flowering marijuana seeds are fast-growing and produce short plants with thick stems. This all makes sense when you consider their origins close to the North and South Pole. With such extreme, cold conditions, these plants have had to adapt to survive. They’re short to retain heat better, and buds grow quickly to reproduce before they get exposed too much to the cold and die out.

Just starting out? Auto-flowering seeds are most likely the way to go for you. Beginner growers often find these seeds significantly easier to grow than others. You don’t have to worry about constant surveillance, and there is a lot more room for error. Plus, you can account for more harvests in one period since these seeds flower at a faster rate. This means more weed than other seeds, in the same amount of time.

Pros

• Ideal for beginner growers
• Fast harvest period
• Short and compact for easy growing indoors
• Not reliant on light cycles
• High in CBD
• Strong genetics

Cons

• Unable to clone (or at least very difficult)
• Reduced yield
• Less potent in THC

Most Popular Auto-Flowering Strain

If you’ve found yourself to be a fan of the auto-flowering variety, or are simply curious to try it out, then you should give the best-of-the-best a go. There are countless auto-flowering seeds that are fan-favourites, but there’s one in particular that finds itself at the top.

Candy Kush is the best-of-both-worlds as auto-flowering feminized seeds. They have all the advantages of auto-flowering – easier to grow and faster yield – as well as the feminized genetics. This means the growing process is streamlined, plus they are already feminized, so you don’t need to remove the male plants.

Here are some key things to know about Candy Kush:

• Heavily crystalized buds
• Sweet and spicy flavours
• Rapid flowering time between 6 and 8 weeks
• Short plant stature ideal for indoor growing

Why is this the most popular? Candy Kush is loved for its potent flavour and effects. It offers sedative and euphoric effects, making it the perfect afternoon or evening strain to kick your feet up and relax.

Feminized Marijuana Seeds

Feminized seeds are seeds that only produce female plants, and hence are hugely popular among experienced cultivators. They produce huge yields with strong, potent buds, and are much easier to clone. This means that growers don’t need to purchase new seeds each time, and can instead clone their existing seeds that produced the best plants. You know, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?

Essentially, feminized seeds eliminate that 50/50 chance of having female or male plants. Male plants are undesirable because they grow pollen sacs instead of buds. It’s these pollen sacs that make the male plants unsuitable.

Not only can you not smoke male plants, but they can also pollinate the female plants. Once pollinated, the female plants will produce seeds, not buds, so you can’t harvest them to make them into the bud you know and love. This should be left to the real expert growers, as removing the males can be a delicate process.

To be fair, male plants do have a couple of uses. For instance, they can be harvested to make a soft hemp fibre, used for clothes or other homeware pieces.

Pros

• Ideal for experienced growers
• Potent yield
• Stronger genetics
• Only produces female plants
• Cost-effective
• Ideal for cloning

Cons

• Slightly slower harvest period
• Possibility of hermaphrodite plants

Most Popular Feminized Strain

If you think you’re more of a feminized seed kind of gal or guy, then give the best strain on the market a go: Allen Wrench. High in THC, this strain offers some great earthy, woody flavours, and it won’t knock you out on the couch like some other THC-dominant varieties.

Here are some key things to know about Candy Kush:

• Rich, earthy flavours
• Fast flowering time between 10 and 11 weeks
• High THC concentration of 24%

Growing Allen Wrench should be done by fairly experienced growers. You can grow it inside or out, but if you do grow indoors then we suggest you install an odour-control system, as its aroma is pretty potent.

Which One Should I Choose?

Looking at the difference between auto-flowering and feminized marijuana seeds will help you in deciding which is best for you. We suggest going for auto-flowering if you’re just starting out, as these seeds are simpler to grow and leave greater room for error. Feminized seeds remove the risk of growing male plants, which can contaminate the females, making them grow seeds instead of buds. If you still can’t decide, try out both seeds if you have the means.

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